Alleles of the opca gene from coryneform bacteria

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to mutants and alleles of the opcA gene of coryneform bacteria, which encode variants of the OpcA subunit of glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase (EC: 1.1.1.49), and to processes for preparing amino acids, in particular L-lysine and L-tryptophan, by using bacteria which harbor said alleles.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present invention claims the benefit of priority to U.S. Patent Application Ser. No. 60/710,314, filed 22 Aug. 2005, and German Patent Application Serial No. 102005023829.7, filed 24 May 2005, both of which are herein incorporated by reference in their entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to mutants and alleles of the opcA gene which encode variants of the OpcA subunit of glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase (EC: 1.1.1.49) and to processes for preparing amino acids, in particular L-lysine and L-tryptophan, by using bacteria which harbor said alleles.

2. Prior Art

Amino acids are applied in human medicine, in the pharmaceutical industry, in the food industry and especially in animal nutrition.

Amino acids are known to be prepared by fermentation of strains of coryneform bacteria, in particular Corynebacterium glutamicum. Due to the great importance, continuous efforts are made to improve the production processes. Said processes may be improved with respect to fermentation-related measures such as, for example, stirring and oxygen supply or the composition of the nutrient media, such as, for example, sugar concentration during the fermentation, or the working-up into product form, for example by means of ion exchange chromatography, or the intrinsic performance characteristics of the microorganism itself.

The performance characteristics of said microorganisms are improved by applying methods of mutagenesis, selection and mutant choice. This enables strains to be obtained which are resistant to antimetabolites or auxotrophic for metabolites which are of regulatory importance, and produce amino acids. A known antimetabolite is the lysine analog S-(2-aminoethyl)-L-cysteine (AEC).

For some years now, methods of recombinant DNA technology have likewise been employed in order to improve L-amino acid-producing Corynebacterium strains, by amplifying individual amino acid biosynthesis genes and studying the effect on amino acid production. A summary on a wide variety of aspects of the genetics, the metabolism and the biotechnology of Corynebacterium glutamicum can be found in Pühler (chief ed.) in Journal of Biotechnology 104 (1-3), 1-338, 2003.

Moritz et al. (European Journal of Biochemistry 267, 3442-3452 (2000)) report physiological and biochemical studies on glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase of Corynebacterium glutamicum. According to studies by Moritz et al., glucose 6-phosphate hydrogenase consists of a Zwf subunit and an OpcA subunit.

Moritz et al. (European Journal of Biochemistry 267, 3442-3452 (2000) describe a method of determining the enzymic activity of glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase.

The nucleotide sequence of the gene encoding the OpcA subunit of Corynebacterium glutamicum glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase is generally accessible, inter alia, in the database of the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI, Bethesda, Md., USA) of the National Library of Medicine (Bethesda, Md., USA), under the number AX121828. It can furthermore be found as sequence No. 1744 in the patent application EP 1108790.

Other databases such as, for example, the nucleotide sequence database of the European Molecular Biologies Laboratories (EMBL, Heidelberg, Germany and Cambridge, UK) or that of the Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics (Swissprot, Geneva, Switzerland) or that of the Protein Information Resource Database (PIR, Washington, D.C., USA) may likewise be utilized.

The microbial biosynthesis of L-amino acids in coryneform bacteria is a complex system and linked on multiple levels to various other metabolic pathways in the cell. It is therefore not possible to predict whether mutation alters the OpcA polypeptide of glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase in such a way that production of L-amino acids is improved. For reasons of better clarity, SEQ ID NO: 1 depicts the nucleotide sequence of the zwf gene encoding the OpcA subunit of Corynebacterium glutamicum glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase (“wild type gene”), according to the information of the NCBI database, and SEQ ID NO: 2 and 4 depict the amino acid sequence resulting therefrom of the encoded glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase. In addition, SEQ ID NO: 3 indicates nucleotide sequences located upstream and downstream.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

The inventors have set themselves the object of providing improved strains of microorganisms which produce increased amounts of amino acids, in particular L-lysine and L-tryptophan.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to mutants of coryneform bacteria, which have been generated in vitro and/or in vivo or have been isolated, which preferably secrete amino acids and which comprise a gene or allele which encodes the OpcA subunit of glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase and wherein the amino acid sequence of said polypeptide comprises individual or a combination of amino acids selected from the group consisting of

-   -   a) any proteinogenic amino acid other than L-tyrosine in         position 107 of said amino acid sequence,     -   b) any proteinogenic amino acid other than L-lysine in position         219 of said amino acid sequence,     -   c) any proteinogenic amino acid other than L-proline in position         233 of said amino acid sequence, and     -   d) any proteinogenic amino acid other than L-tyrosine in         position 261 of said amino acid sequence.

Preference is given to the amino acid L-histidine being in position 107 of said amino acid sequence, to the amino acid L-asparagine being in position 219, to the amino acid L-serine being in position 233 and to the amino acid L-histidine being in position 261.

The polypeptide which is present in the mutants of the invention may likewise be referred to as OpcA polypeptide, OpcA polypeptide of glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase, as OpcA subunit of glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase, or as OpcA polypeptide subunit. EP 1 108 790 (see SEQ ID NO: 1744 in Table 1) refers to the OpcA polypeptide also as “glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase assembly protein”.

Among the coryneform bacteria, preference is given to the genus Corynebacterium. Particular preference is given to amino acid-secreting strains which are based on the following species:

-   -   Corynebacterium efficiens, for example the strain DSM44549,     -   Corynebacterium glutamicum, for example the strain ATCC13032,     -   Corynebacterium thermoaminogenes for example the strain FERM         BP-1539, and     -   Corynebacterium ammoniagenes, for example the strain ATCC6871,         very particular preference being given to the species         Corynebacterium glutamicum.

Some representatives of the species Corynebacterium glutamicum are also known under different species names in the prior art. These include, for example:

-   -   Corynebacterium acetoacidophilum ATCC13870,     -   Corynebacterium lilium DSM20137,     -   Corynebacterium melassecola ATCC 17965,     -   Brevibacterium flavum ATCC 14067,     -   Brevibacterium lactofermentum ATCC13869, and     -   Brevibacterium divaricatum ATCC 14020.

Examples of known representatives of amino acid-secreting strains of coryneform bacteria are

the L-lysine-producing strains

-   -   Corynebacterium glutamicum DM58-1/pDM6 (=DSM4697) described in         EP 0 358 940,     -   Corynebacterium glutamicum MH20-22B (=DSM16835) described in         Menkel et al. (Applied and Environmental Microbiology 55(3),         684-688 (1989)),     -   Corynebacterium glutamicum AHP-3 (=FermBP-7382) described in EP         1 108 790,     -   Corynebacterium thermoaminogenes AJ12521 (=FERM BP-3304)         described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,250,423,         or the L-tryptophan-producing strains

Corynebacterium glutamicum K76 (=FermBP-1847) described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,563,052,

-   -   Corynebacterium glutamicum BPS13 (=FermBP-1777) described in         U.S. Pat. No. 5,605,818, and     -   Corynebacterium glutamicum FermBP-3055 described in U.S. Pat.         No. 5,235,940.

Information on the taxonomic classification of strains of this group of bacteria can be found, inter alia, in Seiler (Journal of General Microbiology 129, 1433-1477 (1983)), Kämpfer and Kroppenstedt (Canadian Journal of Microbiology 42, 989-1005 (1996)), Liebl et al. (International Journal of Systematic Bacteriology 41, 255-260 (1991)) and in U.S. Pat. No. 5,250,434.

Strains denoted “ATCC” may be obtained from the American Type Culture Collection (Manassas, Va., USA). Strains denoted “DSM” may be obtained from the Deutsche Sammlung von Mikroorganismen and Zellkulturen (DSMZ, Brunswick, Germany). Strains denoted “FERM” may be obtained from the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST Tsukuba Central 6, 1-1-1 Higashi, Tsukuba Ibaraki, Japan). The Corynebacterium thermoaminogenes strains mentioned (FERM BP-1539, FERM BP-1540, FERM BP-1541 and FERM BP-1542) are described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,250,434.

The term proteinogenic amino acids means the amino acids occurring in natural proteins, i.e. in proteins of microorganisms, plants, animals and humans. These include in particular L-amino acids selected from the group consisting of L-aspartic acid, L-asparagine, L-threonine, L-serine, L-glutamic acid, L-glutamine, glycine, L-alanine, L-cysteine, L-valine, L-methionine, L-isoleucine, L-leucine, L-tyrosine, L-phenylalanine, L-histidine, L-lysine, L-tryptophan, L-proline and L-arginine.

The mutants of the invention preferably secrete said proteinogenic amino acids, in particular L-lysine and L-tryptophan. The term amino acids also comprises their salts such as, for example, lysine monohydrochloride or lysine sulfate in the case of the amino acid L-lysine.

The invention furthermore relates to mutants of coryneform bacteria, which comprise an opcA allele encoding an OpcA polypeptide which comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2, which sequence comprises one or more of the amino acid substitutions selected from the group consisting of:

-   -   a) L-tyrosine in position 107 is substituted with a different         proteinogenic amino acid, preferably L-histidine,     -   b) L-lysine in position 219 is substituted with a different         proteinogenic amino acid, preferably L-asparagine,     -   c) L-proline in position 233 is substituted with a different         proteinogenic amino acid, preferably L-serine, and     -   d) L-tyrosine in position 261 is substituted with a different         proteinogenic amino acid, preferably L-histidine.

The invention furthermore relates to mutants of coryneform bacteria, which comprise an opcA allele encoding an OpcA polypeptide, wherein the amino acid sequence of said polypeptide has one or more of the amino acids selected from the group consisting of:

-   -   a) any proteinogenic amino acid other than L-tyrosine,         preferably L-histidine, in position 107 of said amino acid         sequence,     -   b) any proteinogenic amino acid other than L-lysine, preferably         L-asparagine, in position 219 of said amino acid sequence,     -   c) any proteinogenic amino acid other than L-proline, preferably         L-serine, in position 233 of said amino acid sequence, and     -   d) any proteinogenic amino acid other than L-tyrosine,         preferably L-histidine, in position 261 of said amino acid         sequence,         with the allele comprising a nucleotide sequence identical to         the nucleotide sequence of a polynucleotide which is obtainable         by a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using a primer pair whose         nucleotide sequences comprise in each case at least 15         contiguous nucleotides selected from the nucleotide sequence         between positions 1 and 334 of SEQ ID NO: 3 and from the         complementary nucleotide sequence between positions 1600 and         1292 of SEQ ID NO: 3. An example of a primer pair of this kind         is the primer pair opcA-A1 and opcA-E1 depicted in SEQ ID NO: 11         and SEQ ID NO: 12. The preferred starting material (template         DNA) is chromosomal DNA of coryneform bacteria which have been         treated in particular with a mutagen. Particular preference is         given to the chromosomal DNA of the genus Corynebacterium and         very particular preference is given to that of the species         Corynebacterium glutamicum.

The invention furthermore relates to mutants of coryneform bacteria, which comprise an opcA allele encoding an OpcA polypeptide which comprises an amino acid sequence having a length corresponding to 319 L-amino acids, said amino acid sequence of said polypeptide having one or more of the amino acids selected from the group consisting of:

-   -   a) any proteinogenic amino acid other than L-tyrosine,         preferably L-histidine, in position 107 of said amino acid         sequence,     -   b) any proteinogenic amino acid other than L-lysine, preferably         L-asparagine, in position 219 of said amino acid sequence,     -   c) any proteinogenic amino acid other than L-proline, preferably         L-serine, in position 233 of said amino acid sequence, and     -   d) any proteinogenic amino acid other than L-tyrosine,         preferably L-histidine, in position 261 of said amino acid         sequence.

The invention furthermore relates to mutants of coryneform bacteria, which comprise an opcA allele an OpcA polypeptide which comprises, in positions 107 to 261 of the amino acid sequence, the amino acid sequence corresponding to positions 107 to 261 of SEQ ID NO: 6. Preferably, the amino acid sequence of the encoded polypeptide comprises an amino acid sequence corresponding to positions 98 to 270 of SEQ ID NO: 6 or to positions 83 to 285 of SEQ ID NO: 6 or to positions 63 to 305 of SEQ ID NO: 6 or to positions 38 to 315 of SEQ ID NO: 6 or to positions 8 to 315 of SEQ ID NO: 6 or to positions 2 to 315 of SEQ ID NO: 6 or to positions 2 to 317 of SEQ ID NO: 6 or to positions 2 to 319 of SEQ ID NO: 6. Very particular preference is given to the length of the encoded polypeptide comprising 319 amino acids.

The invention furthermore relates to mutants of coryneform bacteria, which comprise an opcA allele encoding an OpcA polypeptide, said amino acid sequence of said polypeptide having one or more of the amino acids selected from the group consisting of:

-   -   a) any proteinogenic amino acid other than L-tyrosine,         preferably L-histidine, in position 107 of said amino acid         sequence,     -   b) any proteinogenic amino acid other than L-lysine, preferably         L-asparagine, in position 219 of said amino acid sequence,     -   c) any proteinogenic amino acid other than L-proline, preferably         L-serine, in position 233 of said amino acid sequence, and     -   d) any proteinogenic amino acid other than L-tyrosine,         preferably L-histidine, in position 261 of said amino acid         sequence,         and whose amino acid sequence is moreover at least 90%,         preferably at least 92% or at least 94% or at least 96%, and         very particularly preferably at least 97% or at least 98% or at         least 99% or 100%, identical to the amino acid sequences of SEQ         ID NO: 6 or 2.

The invention furthermore relates to mutants of coryneform bacteria, which comprise an opcA allele encoding an OpcA polypeptide, said amino acid sequence of said polypeptide having one or more of the amino acids selected from the group consisting of:

-   -   a) any proteinogenic amino acid other than L-tyrosine,         preferably L-histidine, in position 107 of said amino acid         sequence,     -   b) any proteinogenic amino acid other than L-lysine, preferably         L-asparagine, in position 219 of said amino acid sequence,     -   c) any proteinogenic amino acid other than L-proline, preferably         L-serine, in position 233 of said amino acid sequence, and     -   d) any proteinogenic amino acid other than L-tyrosine,         preferably L-histidine, in position 261 of said amino acid         sequence,         and whose nucleotide sequence is moreover at least 90%,         preferably at least 92% or at least 94% or at least 96%, and         very particularly preferably at least 97% or at least 98% or at         least 99% or 100%, identical to the nucleotide sequence of SEQ         ID NO:5 or 1.

An example of a nucleotide sequence of an opcA allele, which possesses at least 99% identity to the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 5, is depicted in SEQ ID NO: 7. In addition to the nucleotide substitutions of thymine with cytosine in position 319, of adenine with cytosine in position 657, of cytosine with thymine in position 697 and of thymine with cytosine in position 781 (see SEQ ID NO: 5), the nucleotide sequence of this opcA allele has the nucleotide substitutions of cytosine with thymine in position 402, of thymine with cytosine in position 600 and of guanine with cytosine in position 648 (see SEQ ID NO: 7). The phrase “guanine with cytosine in position 648”- and comparable phrases-means that the nucleobase guanine present in position 648 of the wild type sequence of the coding region (see SEQ ID NO: 1) has been replaced with cytosine (see SEQ ID NO: 7).

Conservative amino acid substitutions are known to alter the enzyme activity only insignificantly. Accordingly, the opcA allele which is present in the mutants of the invention and which encodes an OpcA polypeptide comprising one or more of the amino acid substitutions of the invention may comprise one (1) or more conservative amino acid substitution(s), in addition to the amino acid sequence depicted in SEQ ID NO: 6. Preference is given to the polypeptide comprising no more than two (2), no more than three (3), no more than four (4) or no more than five (5), conservative amino acid substitutions.

In the case of the aromatic amino acids, the substitutions are said to be conservative when phenylalanine, tryptophan and tyrosine are substituted for one another. In the case of the hydrophobic amino acids, the substitutions are said to be conservative when leucine, isoleucine and valine are substituted for one another. In the case of the polar amino acids, the substitutions are said to be conservative when glutamine and asparagine are substituted for one another. In the case of the basic amino acids, the substitutions are said to be conservative when arginine, lysine and histidine are substituted for one another. In the case of the acidic amino acids, the substitutions are said to be conservative when aspartic acid and glutamic acid are substituted for one another. In the case of the hydroxyl group-containing amino acids, the substitutions are said to be conservative when serine and threonine are substituted for one another.

Finally, the invention relates to mutants of coryneform bacteria, which comprise an opcA allele encoding an OpcA polypeptide which comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 6.

Enzymes intrinsic to the host, called amino peptidases, are known to remove the terminal methionine during protein synthesis.

The invention also relates to opcA alleles which encode OpcA polypeptides of the invention, depicted by way of example as SEQ ID NO: 6, and which comprise one or more insertion(s) or deletion(s). The polypeptide preferably comprises no more than 5, no more than 4, no more than 3 or no more than 2 amino acid insertions or deletions.

Insertions and deletions or conservative amino acid substitutions of this kind essentially do not affect the enzymic activity of the glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenases comprising the corresponding OpcA subunit. “Essentially do not affect” means that the enzymic activity of the variants mentioned differs by no more than 10%, no more than 7.5%, no more than 5%, no more than 2.5% or no more than 1% from the activity of a glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase comprising an OpcA polypeptide subunit with the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2, said sequence comprising one or more of the amino acid substitutions selected from the group consisting of

-   -   a) L-histidine instead of L-tyrosine in position 107     -   b) L-asparagine instead of L-lysine in position 219     -   c) L-Serine instead of L-proline in position 233, and     -   d) L-histidine instead of L-tyrosin in position 261.

The mutants of the invention may be prepared by classical in-vivo mutagenesis methods with cell populations of coryneform bacteria by using mutagenic substances such as, for example, N-methyl-N′-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG), ethyl methanesulfonate (EMS), 5-bromouracil, or ultraviolet light. Mutagenesis methods are described, for example, in Manual of Methods for General Bacteriology (Gerhard et al. (Eds.), American Society for Microbiology, Washington, D.C., USA, 1981) or in Tosaka et al. (Agricultural and Biological Chemistry 42(4), 745-752 (1978)) or in Konicek et al. (Folia Microbiologica 33, 337-343 (1988)). Typical mutageneses using MNNG comprise concentrations of from 50 to 500 mg/l or else higher concentrations of up to a maximum of 1 g/l, an incubation time of from 1 to 30 minutes at a pH of from 5.5 to 7.5. Under these conditions, the number of viable cells is reduced by a proportion of from approx. 50% to 90% or approx. 50% to 99% or approx. 50% to 99.9% or more.

Mutants or cells are removed from the mutagenized cell population and propagated. Preference is given to investigating, in a further step, their ability to secrete amino acids, preferably L-lysine or L-tryptophan, in a batch culture using a suitable nutrient medium. Suitable nutrient media and assay conditions are described, inter alia, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,221,636, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,840,551, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,770,409, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,605,818, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,275,940 and in U.S. Pat. No. 4,224,409. In this way, mutants are identified which, compared to the parent strain or non-mutagenized starting strain, secrete an increased amount of amino acids into the nutrient medium or the cell interior. These include, for example, those mutants whose amino acid secretion has increased by at least 0.5%.

Subsequently, DNA of the mutants is provided or isolated from the latter, and the corresponding polynucleotide is synthesized with the aid of the polymerase chain reaction using primer pairs which allow amplification of the opcA gene or of the opcA alleles of the invention or of the mutations of the invention in positions 107, 219, 233 and 261 of the amino acid sequence of the OpcA polypeptide. Preference is given to isolating the DNA from those mutants which, in comparison with the starting strain, secrete, or accumulate in the cell interior, an increased amount of amino acids.

To this end, it is possible to select any primer pairs from the nucleotide sequence located upstream and downstream of the mutation of the invention and from the nucleotide sequence complementary thereto. A primer of a primer pair here preferably comprises at least 15, at least 18, at least 20, at least 21 or at least 24, contiguous nucleotides selected from the nucleotide sequence between positions 1 and 652 of SEQ ID NO: 3. The corresponding second primer of a primer pair comprises at least 15, at least 18, at least 20, at least 21 or at least 24, contiguous nucleotides selected from the complementary nucleotide sequence of positions 1600 and 1118 of SEQ ID NO: 3. If it is desired to amplify the coding region, then the primer pair is preferably selected from the nucleotide sequence between positions 1 and 334 of SEQ ID NO: 3 and from the complementary nucleotide sequence between positions 1600 and 1292 of SEQ ID NO: 3. If it is desired to amplify part of the coding region, as indicated, for example, in SEQ ID NO: 15 and 17, then the primer pair is preferably selected from the nucleotide sequence between positions 335 and 652 of SEQ ID NO: 3 and from the complementary nucleotide sequence between positions 1291 and 1118 of SEQ ID NO: 3.

Examples of suitable primer pairs are the opcA-A1 and opcA-E1 primer pair depicted under SEQ ID NO: 11 and SEQ ID NO: 12 and the opcA-int1 and opcA-int2 primer pair depicted under SEQ ID NO: 13 and SEQ ID NO: 14. In addition, the primer may be provided with recognition sites for restriction enzymes, with a biotin group or further accessories as described in the prior art. The total length of the primer is usually no more than 30, 40, 50 or 60 nucleotides.

Usually, thermostable DNA polymerases are employed in the preparation of polynucleotides by amplification of selected sequences such as the opcA allele of the invention from initially introduced DNA, for example chromosomal DNA (template DNA), via amplification by means of PCR. Examples of DNA polymerases of this kind are Taq polymerase of Thermus aquaticus, which is sold, inter alia, by Qiagen (Hilden, Germany), Vent polymerase of Thermococcus litoralis, sold, inter alia, by New England Biolabs (Frankfurt, Germany), or Pfu polymerase of Pyrococcus furiosus, sold, inter alia, by Stratagene (La Jolla, USA). Preference is given to polymerases having proof-reading activity. Proof-reading activity means that these polymerases are capable of recognizing wrongly incorporated nucleotides and rectifying the error by renewed polymerization (Lottspeich and Zorbas, Bioanalytik, Spektrum Akademischer Verlag, Heidelberg, Germany (1998)). Examples of polymerases having proof-reading activity are Vent polymerase and Pfu polymerase.

The conditions in the reaction mixture are set according to the information provided by the manufacturer. The polymerases are usually supplied by the manufacturer together with the customary buffer which usually has concentrations of 10-100 mM Tris/HCl and 6-55 mM KCl at pH 7.5-9.3. Magnesium chloride is added in a concentration of 0.5-10 mM, if not present in the buffer supplied by the manufacturer. Furthermore, deoxynucleoside triphosphates are added in a concentration of 0.1-16.6 mM to the reaction mixture. The primers, in a final concentration of 0.1-3 μM, and template DNA, in the optimal case from 10² to 10⁵ copies, are initially introduced into the reaction mixture. An amount of 2-5 units of the appropriate polymerase is added to the reaction mixture. A typical reaction mixture has a volume of 20-100 μl.

Further additives which may be added to the reaction are bovine serum albumin, Tween-20, gelatin, glycerol, formamide or DMSO (Dieffenbach and Dveksler, PCR Primer A Laboratory Manual, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, USA 1995).

A typical PCR profile consists of three different, successively repeated temperature stages. Initially, the reaction is started by increasing the temperature to 92° C.-98° C. for 4 to 10 minutes in order to denature the initially introduced DNA. This is followed repeatedly by first a step of denaturing the initially introduced DNA at approximately 92-98° C. for 10-60 seconds, then a step of 10-60 seconds of binding the primers to the initially introduced DNA at a particular temperature dependent on said primers (annealing temperature), which from experience is from 50° C. to 60° C. and can be calculated for each primer pair individually. Detailed information on this can be found by the skilled worker in Rychlik et al. (Nucleic Acids Research 18 (21): 6409-6412). Subsequently, a synthesis step of extending the initially introduced primers (extension) at the activity optimum of the polymerase, indicated in each case and usually in the range from 73° C. to 67° C., preferably 72° C. to 68° C., depending on the polymerase. The duration of this extension step depends on the performance of the polymerase and on the length of the PCR product to be amplified. In a typical PCR, this step lasts 0.5-8 minutes, preferably 2-4 minutes. These three steps are repeated 30 to 35 times, where appropriate up to 50 times. A final “extension” step of 4-10 minutes ends the reaction. The polynucleotides prepared in this manner are also referred to as amplicons; the term nucleic acid fragment is likewise common.

Further details and information regarding PCR can be found by the skilled worker in the manual PCR-Strategies (Innis, Felfand and Sninsky, Academic Press, Inc., 1995), in PCR Primer—a laboratory manual, in the manual by Gait: Oligonucleotide synthesis: A Practical Approach (IRL Press, Oxford, UK, 1984) and in Newton and Graham: PCR (Spektrum Akademischer Verlag, Heidelberg, Germany, 1994).

The nucleotide sequence is subsequently determined, for example by the chain termination method of Sanger et al. (Proceedings of the National Academies of Sciences, U.S.A., 74, 5463-5467 (1977)) with the modifications indicated by Zimmermann et al. (Nucleic Acids Research 18, 1067 pp (1990)), and the polypeptide encoded by said nucleotide sequence is analyzed, in particular with respect to the amino acid sequence. For this purpose, the nucleotide sequence is entered into a program for translating DNA sequence into an amino acid sequence. Examples of suitable programs are the program “Patentin” which is available from patent offices, for example the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), or “Translate Tool” which is available on the ExPASy Proteomics Server on the World Wide Web (Gasteiger et al., Nucleic Acids Research 31, 3784-3788 (2003)).

In this way, mutants are identified whose opcA alleles encode OpcA polypeptides which comprise the mutations of the invention.

Accordingly, the invention relates to a mutant of a coryneform bacterium, which is obtainable by the following steps:

-   -   a) treating a coryneform bacterium capable of secreting amino         acids with a mutagenic agent,     -   b) isolating and propagating the mutant generated in a),     -   c) preferably determining the ability of said mutant to secrete         in a medium or to accumulate in the cell interior at least 0.5%         more amino acid than the coryneform bacterium employed in a),     -   d) providing nucleic acid from the mutant obtained in b),     -   e) preparing a nucleic acid molecule/amplicon/nucleic acid         fragment, using the polymerase chain reaction, of the nucleic         acid from d) and of a primer pair consisting of a first primer         comprising at least 15 contiguous nucleotides selected from the         nucleotide sequence between positions 1 and 334 of SEQ ID NO: 3         and a second primer comprising at least 15 contiguous         nucleotides selected from the complementary nucleotide sequence         between positions 1600 and 1292 of SEQ ID NO: 3,     -   f) determining the nucleotide sequence of the nucleic acid         molecule obtained in e) and determining the encoded amino acid         sequence,     -   g) comparing, where appropriate, the amino acid sequence         determined in f) with SEQ ID NO:6, and     -   h) identifying a mutant comprising a polynucleotide which         encodes a polypeptide comprising one or more of the amino acids         selected from the group consisting of         -   a) any proteinogenic amino acid other than L-tyrosine,             preferably L-histidine, in position 107 of said amino acid             sequence,         -   b) any proteinogenic amino acid other than L-lysine,             preferably L-asparagine, in position 219 of said amino acid             sequence,         -   c) any proteinogenic amino acid other than L-proline,             preferably L-serine, in position 233 of said amino acid             sequence, and         -   d) any proteinogenic amino acid other than L-tyrosine,             preferably L-histidine, in position 261 of said amino acid             sequence.

The mutants generated in this way typically comprise one (1) copy of one of the opcA alleles described. The invention likewise relates to the process described here.

SEQ ID NO: 5 depicts, by way of example, the coding regions of an opcA allele of a mutant of the invention. The coding region of the wild type gene is depicted as SEQ ID NO: 1.

SEQ ID NO: 1 comprises the TAT codon, coding for the amino acid L-tyrosine, in positions 319 to 321. SEQ ID NO: 5 comprises the nucleobase cytosine in position 319. This thymine-cytosine transition results in the CAT codon, coding for the amino acid L-histidine, in positions 319 to 321.

SEQ ID NO: 1 comprises the AAA codon, coding for the amino acid L-lysine, in positions 655 to 657. SEQ ID NO: 5 comprises the nucleobase cytosine in position 657. This adenine-cytosine transversion results in the AAC codon, coding for the amino acid L-asparagine, in positions 655 to 657.

SEQ ID NO: 1 comprises the CCA codon, coding for the amino acid L-proline, in positions 697 to 699. SEQ ID NO: 5 comprises the nucleobase thymine in position 697. This cytosine-thymine transition results in the TCA codon, coding for the amino acid L-serine in positions 697 to 699.

SEQ ID NO: 1 comprises the TAT codon, coding for the amino acid L-tyrosine, in positions 781 to 783. SEQ ID NO: 5 comprises the nucleobase cytosine in position 781. This thymine-cytosine transition results in the CAT codon, coding for the amino acid L-histidine, in positions 781 to 783.

In addition, the nucleotide sequence depicted in SEQ ID NO: 5 may comprise further base substitutions which have resulted from the mutagenesis treatment but which do not manifest themselves in an altered amino acid sequence. Such mutations are referred to in the art also as silent or neutral mutations. These silent mutations may likewise already be present in the coryneform bacterium used for said mutagenesis treatment. Examples of such silent mutations are the cytosine-thymine transition in position 402, the thymine-cytosine transition in position 600 and the guanine-cytosine transversion in position 648, as depicted in SEQ ID NO: 7.

The coryneform bacteria used for the mutagenesis preferably already have the ability to secrete the desired amino acid into the surrounding nutrient medium or fermentation broth or to accumulate it in the cell interior.

L-Lysine-producing coryneform bacteria typically possess a feedback-resistant or desensibilized aspartate kinase. Feedback-resistant aspartate kinases mean aspartate kinases which, compared to the wild type, have a lower sensitivity to the inhibition by mixtures of lysine and threonine or mixtures of AEC (aminoethylcysteine) and threonine or lysine alone or AEC alone. The genes or alleles encoding these desensibilized aspartate kinases are also referred to as lysC^(FBR) alleles. The prior art (Table 1) describes numerous lysC^(FBR) alleles encoding aspartate kinase variants which have amino acid substitutions in comparison with the wild type protein. SEQ ID NO: 19 depicts the coding region of the wild type lysC gene of Corynebacterium glutamicum according to accession number AX756575 of the NCBI database, and SEQ ID NO: 20 depicts the protein encoded by said gene.

TABLE 1 lysC^(FBR) alleles encoding feedback-resistant aspartate kinases Name of Further Accession allele information Reference number lysC^(FBR) E05108 JP 1993184366-A E05108 (sequence 1) lysC^(FBR) E06825 lysC A279T JP 1994062866-A E06825 (sequence 1) lysC^(FBR) E06826 lysC A279T JP 1994062866-A E06826 (sequence 2) lysC^(FBR) E06827 JP 1994062866-A E06827 (sequence 3) lysC^(FBR) E08177 JP 1994261766-A E08177 (sequence 1) lysC^(FBR) E08178 lysC A279T JP 1994261766-A E08178 (sequence 2) lysC^(FBR) E08179 lysC A279V JP 1994261766-A E08179 (sequence 3) lysC^(FBR) E08180 lysC S301F JP 1994261766-A E08180 (sequence 4) lysC^(FBR) E08181 lysC T308I JP 1994261766-A E08181 (sequence 5) lysC^(FBR) E08182 JP 1994261766-A E08182 (sequence 6) lysC^(FBR) E12770 JP 1997070291-A E12770 (sequence 13) lysC^(FBR) E14514 JP 1997322774-A E14514 (sequence 9) lysC^(FBR) E16352 JP 1998165180-A E16352 (sequence 3) lysC^(FBR) E16745 JP 1998215883-A E16745 (sequence 3) lysC^(FBR) E16746 JP 1998215883-A E16746 (sequence 4) lysC^(FBR) I74588 US 5688671-A I74588 (sequence 1) lysC^(FBR) I74589 lysC A279T US 5688671-A I74589 (sequence 2) lysC^(FBR) I74590 US 5688671-A I74590 (sequence 7) lysC^(FBR) I74591 lysC A279T US 5688671-A I74591 (sequence 8) lysC^(FBR) I74592 US 5688671-A I74592 (sequence 9) lysC^(FBR) I74593 lysC A279T US 5688671-A I74593 (sequence 10) lysC^(FBR) I74594 US 5688671-A I74594 (sequence 11) lysC^(FBR) I74595 lysC A279T US 5688671-A I74595 (sequence 12) lysC^(FBR) I74596 US 5688671-A I74596 (sequence 13) lysC^(FBR) I74597 lysC A279T US 5688671-A I74597 (sequence 14) lysC^(FBR) X57226 lysC S301Y EP0387527 X57226 Kalinowski et al., Molecular and General Genetics 224: 317-324 (1990) lysC^(FBR) L16848 lysC G345D Follettie and Sinskey L16848 NCBI Nucleotide Database (1990) lysC^(FBR) L27125 lysC R320G Jetten et al., Applied L27125 lysC G345D Microbiology Biotechnology 43: 76-82 (1995) lysC^(FBR) lysC T311I WO0063388 (sequence 17) lysC^(FBR) lysC S301F U.S. Pat. No. 3,732,144 lysC^(FBR) lysC S381F EP0435132 lysC^(FBR) lysC S317A U.S. Pat. No. 5,688,671 (sequence 1) lysC^(FBR) lysC T380I WO 01/49854

L-Lysine-secreting coryneform bacteria typically possess one or more of the amino acid substitutions listed in Table 1.

Preference is given to the following lysC^(FBR) alleles: lysC A279T (substitution of alanine in position 279 of the encoded aspartate kinase protein according to SEQ ID NO: 20 with threonine), lysC A279V (substitution of alanine in position 279 of the encoded aspartate kinase protein according to SEQ ID NO: 20 with valine), lysC S301F (substitution of serine in position 301 of the encoded aspartate kinase protein according to SEQ ID NO: 20 with phenylalanine), lysC T308I (substitution of threonine in position 308 of the encoded aspartate kinase protein according to SEQ ID NO: 20 with isoleucine), lysC S301Y (substitution of serine in position 308 of the encoded aspartate kinase protein according to SEQ ID NO: 20 with tyrosine), lysC G345D (substitution of glycine in position 345 of the encoded aspartate kinase protein according to SEQ ID NO: 20 with asparaginic acid), lysC R320G (substitution of arginine in position 320 of the encoded aspartate kinase protein according to SEQ ID NO: 20 with glycine), lysC T311I (substitution of threonine in position 311 of the encoded aspartate kinase protein according to SEQ ID NO: 20 with isoleucine), lysC S381F (substitution of serine in position 381 of the encoded aspartate kinase protein according to SEQ ID NO: 20 with phenylalanine) and lysC S317A (substitution of serine in position 317 of the encoded aspartate kinase protein according to SEQ ID NO: 20 with alanine).

Particular preference is given to the lysC^(FBR) allele lysC T311I (substitution of threonine in position 311 of the encoded aspartate kinase protein according to SEQ ID NO: 20 with isoleucine) and a lysC^(FBR) allele comprising at least one substitution selected from the group consisting of A279T (substitution of alanine in position 279 of the encoded aspartate kinase protein according to SEQ ID NO: 20 with threonine) and S317A (substitution of serine in position 317 of the encoded aspartate kinase protein according to SEQ ID NO: 20 with alanine).

The strain DM1797, deposited with the DSMZ under the number DSM16833, harbors the lysC^(FBR) allele lysC T311I. DM1797 is a mutant of Corynebacterium glutamicum ATCC 13032.

Starting from strain DM1797, a mutant referred to as DM1825, which harbors an opcA allele encoding an OpcA polypeptide in which L-histidine is present in position 107 of the amino acid sequence, L-asparagine is present in position 219, L-serine is present in position 233 and L-histidine is present in position 261, was isolated in the manner described above. The nucleotide sequence of the coding region of the opcA allele of the DM1825 mutant is depicted as SEQ ID NO: 7 and the amino acid sequence of the encoded polypeptide is depicted as SEQ ID NO: 8 and 10, respectively. SEQ ID NO: 7 comprises cytosine instead of thymine in position 319, thymine instead of cytosine in position 402, cytosine instead of thymine in position 600, cytosine instead of guanine in position 648, cytosine instead of adenine in position 657, thymine instead of cytosine in position 697 and cytosine instead of thymine in position 781. The phrase “cytosine instead of guanine in position 648”- and comparable phrases-means that the nucleobase guanine present in position 648 in the wild type sequence of the coding region (see SEQ ID NO: 1) has been replaced with cytosine (see SEQ ID NO: 7).

SEQ ID NO: 9 also indicates the nucleotide sequences located upstream and downstream of SEQ ID NO: 7.

In addition it is possible to use L-lysine-secreting coryneform bacteria which have an attenuated homoserine dehydrogenase or homoserine kinase or which possess other properties as known from the prior art.

L-Tryptophan-producing coryneform bacteria typically possess a feedback-resistant or desensibilized anthranilate synthase. The term feedback-resistant anthranilate synthase means anthranilate synthases which, compared to the wild type, have a lower sensitivity to inhibition (5 to 10%, 10% to 15% or 10% to 20%) by tryptophan or 5-fluoro-tryptophan (Matsui et al., Journal of Bacteriology 169 (11): 5330-5332 (1987)) or similar analogs. The genes or alleles encoding these desensibilized anthranilate synthases are also referred to as trpE^(FBR) alleles. Examples of mutants or alleles of this kind are described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,180,373 and EP0338474.

The mutants obtained show increased secretion or production of the desired amino acid in a fermentation process, in comparison with the starting strain or parent strain employed.

The invention likewise relates to an isolated polynucleotide encoding an OpcA polypeptide of glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase, wherein the amino acid sequence of said polypeptide comprises one or more amino acids selected from the group consisting of:

-   -   a) any proteinogenic amino acid other than L-tyrosine,         preferably L-histidine, in position 107 of said amino acid         sequence,     -   b) any proteinogenic amino acid other than L-lysine, preferably         L-asparagine, in position 219 of said amino acid sequence,     -   c) any proteinogenic amino acid other than L-proline, preferably         L-serine, in position 233 of said amino acid sequence, and     -   d) any proteinogenic amino acid other than L-tyrosine,         preferably L-histidine, in position 261 of said amino acid         sequence.

The polynucleotide of the invention may be isolated from a mutant of the invention.

It is furthermore possible to use in-vitro methods for the mutagenesis of the opcA gene. The use of in-vitro methods involves subjecting isolated polynucleotides which comprise an opcA gene of a coryneform bacterium, preferably the Corynebacterium glutamicum wild type gene described in the prior art, to a mutagenic treatment.

The isolated polynucleotides may be, for example, isolated total DNA or chromosomal DNA or else amplicons of the opcA gene, which have been prepared with the aid of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Such amplicons are also referred to as PCR products; the term nucleic acid fragment can likewise be used. Instructions for the amplification of DNA sequences with the aid of the polymerase chain reaction can be found by the skilled worker, inter alia, in the manual by Gait: Oligonucleotide Synthesis: A Practical Approach (IRL Press, Oxford, UK, 1984) and Newton and Graham: PCR (Spektrum Akademischer Verlag, Heidelberg, Germany, 1994). It is likewise possible to incorporate the opcA gene to be mutagenized first into a vector, for example into a bacteriophage or into a plasmid.

Suitable methods of in-vitro mutagenesis are, inter alia, the treatment with hydroxylamine according to Miller (Miller, J. H.: A Short Course in Bacterial Genetics. A Laboratory Manual and Handbook for Escherichia coli and Related Bacteria, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, Cold Spring Harbor, 1992), the use of mutagenic oligonucleotides (T. A. Brown: Gentechnologie für Einsteiger [Genetic engineering for beginners], Spektrum Akademischer Verlag, Heidelberg, 1993 and R. M. Horton: PCR-Mediated Recombination and Mutagenesis, Molecular Biotechnology 3, 93-99 (1995)) and the use of a polymerase chain reaction using a DNA polymerase with a high error rate. An example of such a DNA polymerase is the Mutazyme DNA Polymerase (GeneMorph PCR Mutagenesis Kit, No. 600550) from Stratagene (La Jolla, Calif., USA).

Further instructions and reviews on the generation of mutations in vivo or in vitro can be found in the prior art and in known textbooks of genetics and molecular biology, such as, for example, the textbook by Knippers (“Molekulare Genetik”, 6th edition, Georg Thieme Verlag, Stuttgart, Germany, 1995), that by Winnacker (“Gene and Klone”, VCH Verlagsgesellschaft, Weinheim, Germany, 1990) or that by Hagemann (“Allgemeine Genetik”, Gustav Fischer Verlag, Stuttgart, 1986).

The invention furthermore relates to an isolated polynucleotide encoding an OpcA polypeptide which comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2, said amino acid sequence comprising one or more of the amino acid substitutions selected from the group:

-   -   a) substitution of L-tyrosine in position 107 with a different         proteinogenic amino acid, preferably L-histidine,     -   b) substitution of L-lysine in position 219 with a different         proteinogenic amino acid, preferably L-asparagine,     -   c) substitution of L-proline in position 233 with a different         proteinogenic amino acid, preferably L-serine, and     -   d) substitution of L-tyrosine in position 261 with a different         proteinogenic amino acid, preferably L-histidine.

The invention furthermore relates to an isolated polynucleotide encoding an OpcA polypeptide which comprises an amino acid sequence having a length of 319 amino acids and comprising one or more of the amino acids selected from the group:

-   -   a) any proteinogenic amino acid other than L-tyrosine,         preferably L-histidine, in position 107,     -   b) any proteinogenic amino acid other than L-lysine, preferably         L-asparagine, in position 219,     -   c) any proteinogenic amino acid other than L-proline, preferably         L-serine, in position 233, and     -   d) any proteinogenic amino acid other than L-tyrosine,         preferably L-histidine, in position 261.

The invention furthermore relates to an isolated polynucleotide encoding an OpcA polypeptide which comprises, from positions 107 to 261 of the amino acid sequence, the amino acid sequence corresponding to positions 107 to 261 of SEQ ID NO: 6. The amino acid sequence of the encoded polypeptide preferably comprises an amino acid sequence corresponding to positions 98 to 270 of SEQ ID NO: 6 or positions 83 to 285 of SEQ ID NO: 6 or positions 63 to 305 of SEQ ID NO: 6 or positions 38 to 315 of SEQ ID NO:6 or positions 8 to 315 of SEQ ID NO:6 or positions 2 to 315 of SEQ ID NO:6 or positions 2 to 317 of SEQ ID NO:6 or positions 2 to 319 of SEQ ID NO:6. The length of the encoded polypeptide comprises very particularly preferably 319 amino acids.

The invention furthermore relates to an isolated polynucleotide encoding an OpcA polypeptide, wherein the amino acid sequence of said polypeptide has one or more amino acids selected from the group:

-   -   a) any proteinogenic amino acid other than L-tyrosine,         preferably L-histidine, in position 107 of said amino acid         sequence,     -   b) any proteinogenic amino acid other than L-lysine, preferably         L-asparagine, in position 219 of said amino acid sequence,     -   c) any proteinogenic amino acid other than L-proline, preferably         L-serine, in position 233 of said amino acid sequence, and     -   d) any proteinogenic amino acid other than L-tyrosine,         preferably L-histidine, in position 261 of said amino acid         sequence,         and comprising a nucleotide sequence identical to the nucleotide         sequence of a polynucleotide which is obtainable by a polymerase         chain reaction (PCR) using the primer pair whose nucleotide         sequences comprise in each case at least 15 contiguous         nucleotides selected from the nucleotide sequence between         positions 1 and 334 of SEQ ID NO: 3 and from the complementary         nucleotide sequence between positions 1600 and 1292 of SEQ ID         NO: 3. An example of a suitable primer pair is depicted in SEQ         ID NO: 11 and SEQ ID NO: 12. The preferred starting material         (template DNA) is chromosomal DNA of coryneform bacteria which         have been treated in particular with a mutagen. Particular         preference is given to the chromosomal DNA of the genus         Corynebacterium and very particular preference is given to that         of the species Corynebacterium glutamicum.

The invention furthermore relates to an isolated polynucleotide hybridizing under stringent conditions to a nucleotide sequence complementary to SEQ ID NO: 5 or 7 and encoding an OpcA polypeptide whose amino acid sequence has one or more amino acids selected from the group:

-   -   a) any proteinogenic amino acid other than L-tyrosine,         preferably L-histidine, in position 107 of said amino acid         sequence,     -   b) any proteinogenic amino acid other than L-lysine, preferably         L-asparagine, in position 219 of said amino acid sequence,     -   c) any proteinogenic amino acid other than L-proline, preferably         L-serine, in position 233 of said amino acid sequence, and     -   d) any proteinogenic amino acid other than L-tyrosine,         preferably L-histidine, in position 261 of said amino acid         sequence.

Instructions regarding the hybridization of nucleic acids or polynucleotides can be found by the skilled worker, inter alia, in the manual “The DIG System User's Guide for Filter Hybridization” from Boehringer Mannheim GmbH (Mannheim, Germany, 1993) and in Liebl et al. (International Journal of Systematic Bacteriology 41: 255-260 (1991)). The hybridization is carried out under stringent conditions, i.e. only hybrids in which the probe, i.e. a polynucleotide comprising the nucleotide sequence complementary to SEQ ID NO:5, 7 or 9, and the target sequence, i.e. the polynucleotides treated or identified with the probe, are at least 90% identical, are formed. The stringency of the hybridization, including that of the washing steps, is known to be influenced or determined by varying the buffer composition, the temperature and the salt concentration. The hybridization reaction is generally carried out at relatively low stringency compared to the washing steps (Hybaid Hybridisation Guide, Hybaid Limited, Teddington, UK, 1996).

For example, a buffer corresponding to 5×SSC buffer at a temperature of approx. 50° C.-68° C. may be used for the hybridization reaction. In this case, probes may also hybridize with polynucleotides which are less than 90% identical to the nucleotide sequence of the probe employed. Such hybrids are less stable and are removed by washing under stringent conditions. This may be achieved, for example, by lowering the salt concentration to 2×SSC and, where appropriate, subsequently to 0.5×SSC (The DIG System User's Guide for Filter Hybridisation, Boehringer Mannheim, Mannheim, Germany, 1995), with the temperature being set to approx. 50° C.-68° C., approx. 52° C.-68° C., approx. 54° C.-68° C., approx. 56° C.-68° C., approx. 58° C.-68° C., approx. 60° C.-68° C., approx. 62° C.-68° C., approx. 64° C.-68° C., approx. 66° C.-68° C. Temperature ranges of approx. 64° C.-68° C. or approx. 66° C.-68° C. are preferred. It is possible, where appropriate, to lower the salt concentration down to a concentration corresponding to 0.2×SSC or 0.1×SSC. The SSC buffer comprises, where appropriate, sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) in a concentration of 0.1%. By gradually increasing the hybridization temperature in steps of approx. 1-2° C. from 50° C. to 68° C., it is possible to isolate polynucleotide fragments which have at least 90% or at least 91%, preferably at least 92% or at least 93% or at least 94% or at least 95% or at least 96%, and very particularly preferably at least 97% or at least 98% or at least 99%, identity to the sequence or complementary sequence of the probe employed and which encode an OpcA polypeptide which comprises the amino acid substitution of the invention. The nucleotide sequence of the polynucleotide obtained in this way is determined by known methods. Further instructions regarding hybridization are commercially available in the form of “kits” (e.g. DIG Easy Hyb from Roche Diagnostics GmbH, Mannheim, Germany, Catalog No. 1603558). The nucleotide sequences thus obtained encode OpcA polypeptides which are at least 90%, preferably at least 92% or at least 94% or at least 96%, and very particularly preferably at least 97% or at least 98% or at least 99%, identical to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 6 or SEQ ID NO: 2 and which comprise one or more of the amino acid substitutions of the invention.

The invention furthermore relates to an isolated polynucleotide encoding an OpcA polypeptide, wherein the amino acid sequence of said polypeptide has one or more of the amino acids selected from the group

-   -   a) any proteinogenic amino acid other than L-tyrosine,         preferably L-histidine, in position 107 of said amino acid         sequence,     -   b) any proteinogenic amino acid other than L-lysine, preferably         L-asparagine, in position 219 of said amino acid sequence,     -   c) any proteinogenic amino acid other than L-proline, preferably         L-serine, in position 233 of said amino acid sequence, and     -   d) any proteinogenic amino acid other than L-tyrosine,         preferably L-histidine, in position 261 of said amino acid         sequence,         and comprising an amino acid sequence which moreover is at least         90%, preferably at least 92% or at least 94% or at least 96%,         and very particularly preferably at least 97% or at least 98% or         at least 99%, identical to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:         6 or SEQ ID NO: 2.

The invention furthermore relates to an isolated polynucleotide encoding an OpcA polypeptide, wherein the amino acid sequence of said polypeptide has one or more of the amino acids selected from the group:

-   -   a) any proteinogenic amino acid other than L-tyrosine,         preferably L-histidine, in position 107 of said amino acid         sequence,     -   b) any proteinogenic amino acid other than L-lysine, preferably         L-asparagine, in position 219 of said amino acid sequence,     -   c) any proteinogenic amino acid other than L-proline, preferably         L-serine, in position 233 of said amino acid sequence, and     -   d) any proteinogenic amino acid other than L-tyrosine,         preferably L-histidine, in position 261 of said amino acid         sequence,         and comprising a nucleotide sequence which moreover is at least         90%, preferably at least 92% or at least 94% or at least 96%,         and very particularly preferably at least 97% or at least 98% or         at least 99%, identical to the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:         5 or SEQ ID NO: 1.

An example of a polynucleotide encoding an OpcA polypeptide of the invention and having a nucleotide sequence which is at least 99% identical to that of SEQ ID NO: 5 is depicted in SEQ ID NO: 7. In addition to the nucleotide substitutions of thymine with cytosine in position 319, of adenine with cytosine in position 657, of cytosine with thymine in position 697 and of thymine with cytosine in position 781 (see SEQ ID NO: 5), the nucleotide sequence of this opcA allele has the nucleotide substitutions of cytosine with thymine in position 402, of thymine with cytosine in position 600 and of guanine with cytosine in position 648 (see SEQ ID NO: 7). The phrase “guanine with cytosine in position 648”—and comparable phrases—means that the nucleobase guanine present in position 648 of the wild type sequence of the coding region (see SEQ ID NO: 1) has been replaced with cytosine (see SEQ ID NO: 7).

The invention furthermore relates to an isolated polynucleotide encoding an OpcA polypeptide which comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 6. The encoded polypeptide comprises, where appropriate, one (1) or more conservative amino acid substitution(s). Preferably, the polypeptide comprises no more than two (2), no more than three (3), no more than four (4) or no more than five (5), conservative amino acid substitutions.

The invention furthermore relates to an isolated polynucleotide encoding an opcA polypeptide which comprises the amino acid sequence SEQ ID NO: 6, including an extension at the N- or C-terminus by at least one (1) amino acid. This extension has no more than 50, 40, 30, 20, 10, 5, 3 or 2, amino acids or amino acid residues.

Finally, the invention also relates to opcA alleles encoding polypeptide variants of SEQ ID NO: 6, which comprise one or more insertions or deletions. These preferably comprise no more than 5, no more than 4, no more than 3 or no more than 2, insertions or deletions of amino acids.

The invention furthermore relates to an isolated polynucleotide comprising the nucleotide sequence according to SEQ ID NO: 5, 7 or 9.

Finally, the invention relates to an isolated polynucleotide comprising the opcA allele of the DM1825 mutant.

Moreover, the invention relates to an isolated polynucleotide comprising part of the coding region of an opcA allele of the invention, said isolated polynucleotide comprising in any case that part of the coding region which comprises one or more of the amino acid substitutions of the invention.

More specifically, a nucleic acid molecule or DNA fragment is comprised which encodes at least one amino acid sequence corresponding to positions 98 to 270 of SEQ ID NO: 2 or which encodes at least one amino acid sequence corresponding to positions 83 to 285 of SEQ ID NO: 2 or which encodes at least one amino acid sequence corresponding to positions 63 to 305 of SEQ ID NO: 2 or which encodes at least one amino acid sequence corresponding to positions 38 to 315 of SEQ ID NO: 2, with said amino acid sequence comprising one or more of the amino acid substitutions selected from the group:

-   -   a) substitution of L-tyrosine in position 107 according to SEQ         ID NO: 2 with a different proteinogenic amino acid, preferably         L-histidine,     -   b) substitution of L-lysine in position 219 according to SEQ ID         NO: 2 with a different proteinogenic amino acid, preferably         L-asparagine,     -   c) substitution of L-proline in position 233 according to SEQ ID         NO: 2 with a different proteinogenic amino acid, preferably         L-serine, and     -   d) substitution of L-tyrosine in position 261 according to SEQ         ID NO: 2 with a different proteinogenic amino acid, preferably         L-histidine.

Preference is given to nucleic acid molecules encoding at least one amino acid sequence corresponding to positions 98 to 270 of SEQ ID NO: 6, or at least corresponding to positions 83 to 285 of SEQ ID NO: 6, or at least corresponding to positions 63 to 305 of SEQ ID NO: 6, or at least corresponding to positions 38 to 315 of SEQ ID NO: 6, or at least corresponding to positions 8 to 315 of SEQ ID NO: 6.

The reading frame encoding the amino acid sequence corresponding to positions 98 to 270 of SEQ ID NO: 6 is likewise depicted as SEQ ID NO: 15. SEQ ID NO: 16 depicts the amino acid sequence encoded by said reading frame. Position 10 in SEQ ID NO: 16 corresponds to position 107 of SEQ ID NO: 2, 4, 6, 8 or 10. Position 122 in SEQ ID NO: 16 corresponds to position 219 of SEQ ID NO:2, 4, 6, 8 or 10. Position 136 in SEQ ID NO:16 corresponds to position 233 of SEQ ID NO: 2, 4, 6, 8 or 10. Position 164 in SEQ ID NO: 16 corresponds to position 261 of SEQ ID NO: 2, 4, 6, 8 or 10.

Very particular preference is given to nucleic acid molecules comprising at least one nucleotide sequence corresponding to positions 292 to 810 of SEQ ID NO: 5 or 7, or at least one nucleotide sequence corresponding to positions 247 to 855 of SEQ ID NO: 5 or 7, or at least one nucleotide sequence corresponding to positions 187 to 915 of SEQ ID NO: 5 or 7, or at least one nucleotide sequence corresponding to positions 112 to 948 of SEQ ID NO: 5 or 7, or at least one nucleotide sequence corresponding to positions 22 to 948 of SEQ ID NO: 5 or 7.

The reading frame corresponding to positions 292 to 810 of SEQ ID NO: 5 is depicted as SEQ ID NO: 15. The corresponding encoded amino acid sequence is depicted as SEQ ID NO: 16. The reading frame corresponding to positions 292 to 810 of SEQ ID NO: 7 is depicted as SEQ ID NO: 17. The corresponding encoded amino acid sequence is depicted as SEQ ID NO: 18.

In addition, the reading frames of the invention may comprise one or more mutations resulting in one or more conservative amino acid substitutions. The mutations preferably result in no more than 4%, no more than 2% or no more than 1%, conservative amino acid substitutions. The reading frames of the invention may furthermore comprise one or more silent mutations. The reading frames of the invention comprise preferably no more than 4%, and particularly preferably no more than 2% to no more than 1%, silent mutations.

The isolated polynucleotides of the invention may be used in order to produce recombinant strains of microorganisms, which release amino acids into the surrounding medium or accumulate them in the cell interior in an improved manner, compared to the starting or parent strain.

A widespread method of incorporating mutations into genes of coryneform bacteria is that of allele substitution which is also referred to as gene replacement. This process involves transferring a DNA fragment comprising the mutation of interest into the desired strain of a coryneform bacterium and incorporating said mutation into the chromosome of the desired strain by at least two recombination events or cross-over events or replacing the sequence of a gene in the strain in question with the mutated sequence.

Schwarzer and Pühler (Bio/Technology 9, 84-87 (1991) used this method in order to incorporate a lysA allele carrying a deletion into the C. glutamicum chromosome, instead of the wild type gene. In the same way a lysA allele carrying an insertion was incorporated into the C. glutamicum chromosome, instead of the wild type gene. Schäfer et al. (Gene 145, 69-73 (1994)) employed said method in order to incorporate a deletion into the C. glutamicum hom-thrB operon. Nakagawa et al. (EP 1108790) and Ohnishi et al. (Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology 58(2), 217-223 (2002)) employed said method in order to incorporate various mutations, starting from the isolated alleles, into the C. glutamicum chromosome. In this way, Nakagawa et al. succeeded in incorporating a mutation referred to as Val59Ala into the homoserine dehydrogenase gene (hom), a mutation referred to as Thr311Ile into the aspartate kinase gene (lysC and ask, respectively), a mutation referred to as Pro458Ser into the pyruvate carboxylase gene (pyc) and a mutation referred to as Ala213Thr into the glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase gene (zwf) of C. glutamicum strains.

A process of the invention may use a polynucleotide of the invention, which comprises the entire coding region, as depicted, for example, in SEQ ID NO: 5 or 7, or which comprises part of the coding region, such as, for example, the nucleotide sequence encoding at least the amino acid sequence corresponding to positions 98 to 270 of SEQ ID NO: 6 and, respectively, 8, and depicted as SEQ ID NO: 15 and 17. The part of the coding region corresponding to at least SEQ ID NO: 15 or 17 is ≧519 nucleobases in length. Preference is given to those parts of the coding region whose length is ≧747 nucleobases, such as, for example, nucleic acid molecules encoding at least one amino acid sequence corresponding to positions 63 to 305 of SEQ ID NO: 6 and, respectively 8. Very particular preference is given to those parts of the coding region whose length is ≧834 nucleobases, such as, for example, nucleic acid molecules coding for at least one amino acid sequence corresponding to positions 38 to 315 of SEQ ID NO: 6 and, respectively, 8.

In said method, the DNA fragment comprising the mutation of interest is typically present in a vector, in particular a plasmid which preferably is replicated only to a limited extent, if at all, by the strain to be provided with the mutation. The auxiliary or intermediate host used, in which the vector can be replicated, is usually a bacterium of the genus Escherichia, preferably of the species Escherichia coli.

Examples of plasmid vectors of this kind are the pK*mob and pK*mobsacB vectors described by Schafer et al. (Gene 145, 69-73 (1994)), such as, for example, pK18mobsacB, and the vectors described in WO 02/070685 and WO 03/014362. These are replicative in Escherichia coli but not in coryneform bacteria. Particularly suitable are vectors comprising a gene with a conditionally negative-dominant action, such as, for example, the sacB gene (levansucrase gene) of Bacillus, for example, or the galK gene (galactose kinase gene) of Escherichia coli, for example. (A gene with conditionally negative-dominant action means a gene which, under certain conditions, is disadvantageous, for example toxic, to the host but which has, under different conditions, no adverse effects on the host carrying the gene.) Said vectors make possible the selection for recombination events in which the vector is eliminated from the chromosome. Nakamura et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 6,303,383) furthermore described a temperature-sensitive plasmid for coryneform bacteria, which can replicate only at temperatures below 31° C.

The vector is subsequently transferred to the coryneform bacterium by way of conjugation, for example by the method of Schafer (Journal of Bacteriology 172, 1663-1666 (1990)), or transformation, for example by the method of Dunican and Shivnan (Bio/Technology 7, 1067-1070 (1989)) or the method of Thierbach et al. (Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology 29, 356-362 (1988)). The DNA may also be transferred, where appropriate, by particle bombardment.

Incorporation of the mutation is achieved after homologous recombination by means of a first cross-over event causing integration and of a suitable second cross-over event causing excision in the target gene or in the target sequence, resulting in a recombinant bacterium.

The strains obtained may be identified and characterized by using, inter alia, the methods of Southern blotting hybridization, polymerase chain reaction, sequence determination, the method of fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) (Lay et al. Clinical Chemistry 43, 2262-2267 (1997)) or methods of enzymology.

Accordingly, the invention further relates to a process for preparing a coryneform bacterium, which comprises

-   -   a) transferring a polynucleotide of the invention to a         coryneform bacterium,     -   b) replacing the opcA gene which encodes an amino acid sequence         with L-tyrosine in position 107, L-lysine in position Z19,         L-proline in position 233 and L-tyrosine in position 261 and         which is present in the chromosome of said coryneform bacterium         with the polynucleotide of a), which encodes an amino acid         sequence having one or more of the amino acids selected from the         group consisting of:         -   i) a different amino acid, preferably L-histidine, in             position 107,         -   ii) a different amino acid, preferably L-asparagine, in             position 219,         -   iii) a different amino acid, preferably L-serine, in             position 233, and         -   iv) a different amino acid, preferably L-serine, in position             261, and     -   c) propagating the coryneform bacterium obtained by steps a) and         b).

In this way a recombinant coryneform bacterium is obtained which comprises one (1) opcA allele of the invention, instead of the wild type opcA gene.

Another process of the invention for preparing a microorganism comprises

-   -   a) transferring a polynucleotide of the invention, which encodes         an opcA polypeptide, to a microorganism,     -   b) replicating said polynucleotide in said microorganism, and     -   c) propagating the microorganism obtained by steps a) and b).

In this way a recombinant microorganism is obtained, which comprises at least one (1) copy or several copies of a polynucleotide of the invention, which polynucleotide encodes an OpcA polypeptide, wherein the amino acid sequence of said polypeptide has one or more of the amino acids selected from the group consisting of:

-   -   a) any proteinogenic amino acid other than L-tyrosine,         preferably L-histidine, in position 107 of said amino acid         sequence,     -   b) any proteinogenic amino acid other than L-lysine, preferably         L-asparagine, in position 219 of said amino acid sequence,     -   c) any proteinogenic amino acid other than L-proline, preferably         L-serine, in position 233 of said amino acid sequence, and     -   d) any proteinogenic amino acid other than L-tyrosine,         preferably L-histidine, in position 261 of said amino acid         sequence.

Accordingly, the invention further relates to hosts or host cells, preferably microorganisms, particularly preferably coryneform bacteria and bacteria of the genus Escherichia, which comprise the polynucleotides of the invention. The invention likewise relates to microorganisms prepared by using the isolated polynucleotides. Such microorganisms or bacteria are also referred to as recombinant microorganisms or recombinant bacteria. In the same way, the invention relates to vectors comprising the polynucleotides of the invention. Finally, the invention likewise relates to hosts harboring said vectors.

The isolated polynucleotides of the invention may likewise be used for achieving overexpression of the polypeptides encoded by them.

Overexpression generally means an increase in the intracellular concentration or activity of a ribonucleic acid, a protein or an enzyme. In the case of the present invention, opcA alleles or polynucleotides which encode OpcA polypeptides are overexpressed, wherein the amino acid sequences of said polypeptide have one or more of the amino acids selected from the group consisting of:

-   -   a) any proteinogenic amino acid other than L-tyrosine,         preferably L-histidine, in position 107 of said amino acid         sequence,     -   b) any proteinogenic amino acid other than L-lysine, preferably         L-asparagine, in position 219 of said amino acid sequence,     -   c) any proteinogenic amino acid other than L-proline, preferably         L-serine, in position 233 of said amino acid sequence, and d)         any proteinogenic amino acid other than L-tyrosine, preferably         L-histidine, in position 261 of said amino acid sequence.

Enzymes endogenous to the host-“aminopeptidases”—are known to be able to cleave N-terminal amino acids, in particular the N-terminal methionine, off the polypeptide produced.

Said increase in the concentration or activity of a gene product can be achieved, for example, by increasing the copy number of the corresponding polynucleotides by at least one copy.

A widespread method of increasing the copy number comprises incorporating the appropriate gene or allele into a vector, preferably a plasmid, which is replicated by a coryneform bacterium. Examples of suitable plasmid vectors are pZl (Menkel et al., Applied and Environmental Microbiology (1989) 64: 549-554) or the pSELF vectors described by Tauch et al. (Journal of Biotechnology 99, 79-91 (2002)). A review article on plasmids in Corynebacterium glutamicum can be found in Tauch et al. (Journal of Biotechnology 104, 27-40 (2003)).

Another common method of achieving overexpression is the process of chromosomal gene amplification. This method involves inserting at least one additional copy of the gene or allele of interest into the chromosome of a coryneform bacterium.

In one embodiment, as described, for example, for the hom-thrB operon in Reinscheid et al. (Applied and Environmental Microbiology 60, 126-132 (1994)), a plasmid which is non-replicative in C. glutamicum and which comprises the gene of interest is transferred to a coryneform bacterium. After homologous recombination by means of a cross-over event, the resulting strain comprises at least two copies of the gene or allele in question.

In another embodiment described in WO 03/040373 and US-2003-0219881-A1, one or more copies of the gene of interest are inserted at a desired site of the C. glutamicum chromosome by means of at least two recombination events. In this way, for example, a copy of a lysC allele encoding a L-lysine-insensitive aspartate kinase was incorporated into the C. glutamicum gluB gene.

In a further embodiment described in WO 03/014330 and US-2004-0043458-A1, at least one further copy of the gene of interest, preferably in tandem arrangement to the gene or allele already present, is incorporated by means of at least two recombination events at the natural locus. In this way it was possible, for example, to achieve a tandem duplication of a lysC^(FBR) allele at the natural lysC gene locus.

Another method of achieving overexpression comprises linking the appropriate gene or allele functionally (operably linked) to a promoter or an expression cassette. Examples of suitable promotors for Corynebacterium glutamicum are described in the review article by Patek et al. (Journal of Biotechnology 104(1-3), 311-323 (2003)). It is furthermore possible to use the well-known promotors T3, T7, SP6, M13, lac, tac and trc described by Amann et al. (Gene 69(2), 301-315 (1988)) and Amann and Brosius (Gene 40(2-3), 183-190 (1985)). Such a promotor may be inserted, for example, upstream of the coding region of an opcA allele according to the invention, typically at a distance of approximately 1-500 or 1-334 nucleotides from the start codon, of a recombinant coryneform bacterium. A promotor of this kind may naturally likewise be inserted upstream of the opcA allele of a mutant of the invention. It is furthermore possible to link an isolated polynucleotide of the invention, which encodes a variant of the invention of opcA polypeptide, to a promotor and to incorporate the expression unit obtained into an extrachromosomally replicating plasmid or into the chromosome of a coryneform bacterium.

In addition, it is possible to mutate the promotor and regulatory regions or the ribosomal binding site which is located upstream of the structural gene. Measures of extending the mRNA lifetime likewise improve expression. Preventing the degradation of the enzyme protein furthermore likewise enhances enzyme activity. Alternatively, the gene or allele in question may furthermore be overexpressed by altering the media composition and the culturing process.

The overexpression measures increase the activity or concentration of the protein in question usually by at least 10%, 25%, 50%, 75%, 100%, 150%, 200%, 300%, 400% or 500%, up to no more than 1000% or 2000%, based on the activity or concentration of the protein in the starting microorganism or parent strain. A starting microorganism or parent strain means a microorganism which is subjected to the measures of the invention.

The concentration of the protein may be determined via 1- and 2-dimensional protein gel fractionation and subsequent optical identification of the protein concentration in the gel, using appropriate evaluation software. A common method of preparing the protein gels in the case of coryneform bacteria and of identifying the proteins is the procedure described by Hermann et al. (Electrophoresis, 22:1712-23 (2001)). The protein concentration may likewise be determined by Western blot hybridization using an antibody specific for the protein to be detected (Sambrook et al., Molecular cloning: a laboratory manual. 2^(nd) Ed. Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., 1989) and subsequent optical evaluation using appropriate concentration determination software (Lohaus and Meyer (1998) Biospektrum 5:32-39; Lottspeich, Angewandte Chemie 321: 2630-2647 (1999)).

Accordingly, the invention relates to processes for overexpressing the OpcA polypeptides of the invention. A process of the invention for overexpression comprises, inter alia, increasing the copy number of a polynucleotide of the invention encoding an OpcA polypeptide variant having an amino acid sequence which comprises one or more of the amino acids selected from the group

-   -   a) any proteinogenic amino acid other than L-tyrosine,         preferably L-histidine, in position 107 of said amino acid         sequence,     -   b) any proteinogenic amino acid other than L-lysine, preferably         L-asparagine, in position 219 of said amino acid sequence,     -   c) any proteinogenic amino acid other than L-proline, preferably         L-serine, in position 233 of said amino acid sequence, and     -   d) any proteinogenic amino acid other than L-tyrosine,         preferably L-histidine, in position 261 of said amino acid         sequence,         by at least one (1) or several copies. Another process of the         invention comprises functionally linking a promoter to the         polynucleotide.

The invention furthermore relates to microorganisms having an increased concentration of OpcA polypeptide of the invention in their cell interior. Where appropriate, said microorganisms have an increased glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase activity in their cell interior.

It may be additionally advantageous for improved production of L-amino acids to overexpress in the mutants or recombinant strains of the invention one or more enzymes of the particular biosynthetic pathway, of glycolysis, of anaplerotics, of the citrate cycle, of the pentose phosphate cycle, of the amino acid export and, where appropriate, regulatory proteins. Preference is usually given to the use of endogenous genes.

“Endogenous genes” or “endogenous nucleotide sequences” means the genes or the nucleotide sequences or alleles present in the population of a species.

Thus it is possible to overexpress for the preparation of L-lysine one or more of the genes selected from the group consisting of

-   -   a dapA gene encoding a dihydrodipicolinate synthase, such as,         for example, the Corynebacterium glutamicum wild type dapA gene         described in EP 0 197 335,     -   a zwf gene encoding a glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase, such         as, for example, the Corynebacterium glutamicum wild type zwf         gene described in JP-A-09224661 and EP-A-1108790,     -   the Corynebacterium glutamicum zwf alleles described in         US-2003-0175911-A1, which encode a protein in which, for         example, the L-alanine in position 243 of the amino acid         sequence has been replaced with L-threonine or in which the         L-aspartic acid in position 245 has been replaced with L-serine,     -   a pyc gene encoding a pyruvate carboxylase, such as, for         example, the Corynebacterium glutamicum wild type pyc gene         described in DE-A-198 31 609 and EP 1108790,     -   the Corynebacterium glutamicum pyc allele described in EP 1 108         790, which encodes a protein in which L-proline in position 458         of the amino acid sequence has been replaced by L-serine,     -   the Corynebacterium glutamicum pyc alleles described in WO         02/31158, which encode proteins which, according to claim 1,         carry one or more of the amino acid substitutions selected from         the group consisting of L-glutamic acid in position 153 replaced         with L-aspartic acid, L-alanine in position 182 replaced with         L-serine, L-alanine in position 206 replaced with L-serine,         L-histidine in position 227 replaced with L-arginine, L-alanine         in position 452 replaced with glycine and L-aspartic acid in         position 1120 replaced with L-glutamic acid (FIG. 2A in WO         02/31158 specifies two different start positions for the         pyruvate carboxylase, which positions differ by a length         corresponding to 17 amino acids. Accordingly, position 153 in         accordance with claim 1 in WO 02/31158 corresponds to position         170 in FIG. 2A in WO 02/31158, while position 182 in accordance         with claim 1 corresponds to position 199 in FIG. 2A, position         206 in accordance with claim 1 corresponds to position 223 in         FIG. 2A, position 227 in accordance with claim 1 corresponds to         position 244 in FIG. 2A, position 452 in accordance with claim 1         corresponds to position 469 in FIG. 2A, position 1120 in         accordance with claim 1 corresponds to position 1137 in FIG. 2B.         FIG. 2A in WO 02/31158 furthermore indicates an amino acid         substitution of A (alanine) with G (glycine) in position 472.         Position 472 of the protein having the N terminal sequence MTA         corresponds to position 455 of the protein having the N-terminal         sequence MST according to FIG. 2A. FIG. 2B in WO 02/31158         furthermore indicates an amino acid substitution of D (aspartic         acid) with E (glutamic acid) in position 1133 of the protein         having the N-terminus MTA.),     -   a lysC gene encoding an aspartate kinase, such as, for example,         that of Corynebacterium glutamicum wild type lysC gene described         as SEQ ID NO:281 in EP-A-1108790 (see also accession numbers         AX120085 and 120365) and that of Corynebacterium glutamicum wild         type of lysC gene, described as SEQ ID NO:25 in WO 01/00843 (see         accession number AX063743),     -   a lysC^(FBR) allele, in particular according to Table 1, which         encodes a feedback-resistant aspartate kinase variant,     -   a lysE gene encoding a lysine export protein, such as, for         example, the Corynebacterium glutamicum wild type lysE gene         described in DE-A-195 48 222,     -   the Corynebacterium glutamicum wild type zwal gene encoding the         Zwal protein (U.S. Pat. No. 6,632,644).

In addition to using the alleles of the invention of the opcA gene, it may also be advantageous, for the purpose of producing L-lysine, to simultaneously attenuate or eliminate one or more of the endogenous genes selected from the group consisting of

-   -   a pgi gene encoding glucose 6-phosphate isomerase, such as, for         example, the Corynebacterium glutamicum pgi gene described in         U.S. Pat. No. 6,586,214 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,465,238,     -   a horn gene encoding homoserine dehydrogenase, such as, for         example, the Corynebacterium glutamicum horn gene described in         EP-A-0131171,     -   a thrB gene encoding homoserine kinase, such as, for example,         the Corynebacterium glutamicum thrB gene described by Peoples et         al. (Molecular Microbiology 2 (1988): 63-72)), and     -   a pfkB gene encoding phosphofructokinase, such as, for example,         the Corynebacterium glutamicum pfkB gene described in WO         01/00844 (sequence no. 57).

In this connection, the term “attenuation” describes the reduction or elimination of the intracellular activity of one or more enzymes (proteins) which are encoded by the corresponding DNA in a microorganism which is achieved, for example, by using a weak promoter or using a gene or allele which encodes a corresponding enzyme having low activity, or inactivating the corresponding gene or enzyme (protein), and, where appropriate, combining these measures.

As a result of using the measures for achieving attenuation, the activity or concentration of the corresponding protein is generally lowered to from 0 to 75%, from 0 to 50%, from 0 to 25%, from 0 to 10%, or from 0 to 5%, of the activity or concentration of the wild type protein or of the activity or concentration of the protein in the starting microorganism.

Mutations which come into consideration for generating an attenuation are transitions, transversions, insertions and deletions of at least one (1) base pair or nucleotide. Depending on the effect which the amino acid substitution elicited by the mutation has on the enzyme activity, reference is made to missense mutations or nonsense mutations. A missense mutation leads to the replacement of a given amino acid in a protein with another amino acid, with the amino acid replacement constituting, in particular, a nonconservative amino acid substitution. This substitution impairs the efficiency or activity of the protein and reduces it down to a value of from 0 to 75%, from 0 to 50%, from 0 to 25%, from 0 to 10%, or from 0 to 5%. A nonsense mutation leads to a stop codon being located in the coding region of the gene and consequently to translation being terminated prematurely. Insertions or deletions of at least one base pair in a gene lead to frame shift mutations which result in incorrect amino acids being incorporated or in the translation being terminated prematurely. If a stop codon is formed in the coding region as a consequence of mutation, this then also leads to translation being terminated prematurely.

Directions for generating such mutations belong to the prior art and are contained in known textbooks of genetics and molecular biology such as the textbook by Knippers (“Molekulare Genetik” [Molecular Genetics], 6^(th) edition, Georg Thieme Verlag, Stuttgart, Germany, 1995), that by Winnacker (“Gene and Klone” [Genes and Clones], VCH Verlagsgesellschaft, Weinheim, Germany, 1990) or that by Hagemann (“Allgemeine Genetik” [General Genetics], Gustav Fischer Verlag, Stuttgart, 1986). Further measures are described in the prior art.

The isolated coryneform bacteria which are obtained by the measures of the invention exhibit a secretion or production of the desired amino acid, in a fermentation process, which is increased as compared with that of the starting strain or parent strain which was initially employed.

“Isolated bacteria” are to be understood as being the mutants and recombinant bacteria, in particular coryneform bacteria, according to the invention which are isolated or generated and which comprise an opcA allele encoding an OpcA polypeptide which comprises one or more of the amino acid substitutions described in positions 107, 219, 233 and 261.

The performance of the isolated bacteria, or of the fermentation process when using these bacteria, in regard to one or more of the parameters selected from the group comprising the product concentration (product per volume), the product yield (product formed per carbon source consumed) and the product formation (product formed per volume and time), or else of other process parameters and combinations thereof, is improved by at least 0.5%, at least 1%, at least 1.5%, or at least 2%, based on the starting strain or parent strain or the fermentation process when using these strains. The isolated coryneform bacteria according to the invention can be cultured continuously, as described, for example, in PCT/EP2004/008882, or discontinuously, in a batch process or a fed-batch process or a repeated fed-batch process, for the purpose of producing L-amino acids. A general summary of known culturing methods can be found in the textbook by Chmiel (Bioprozesstechnik 1. Einfahrung in die Bioverfahrenstechnik [Bioprocess Technology 1. Introduction to Bioprocess Technology] (Gustav Fischer Verlag, Stuttgart, 1991)) or in the textbook by Storhas (Bioreaktoren and periphere Einrichtungen [Bioreactors and Peripheral Equipment] (Vieweg Verlag, Brunswick/Wiesbaden, 1994)).

The culture medium or fermentation medium to be used must suitably satisfy the requirements of the given strains. Descriptions of media for culturing different microorganisms are given in the manual “Manual of Methods for General Bacteriology” published by the American Society for Bacteriology (Washington D.C., USA, 1981). The terms culture medium and fermentation medium or medium are mutually interchangeable.

The carbon source employed can be sugars and carbohydrates, such as glucose, sucrose, lactose, fructose, maltose, molasses, sucrose-containing solutions derived from sugar beet or sugar cane production, starch, starch hydrolysate and cellulose, oils and fats, such as soybean oil, sunflower oil, peanut oil and coconut oil, fatty acids, such as palmitic acid, stearic acid and linoleic acid, alcohols, such as glycerol, methanol and ethanol, and organic acids, such as acetic acid. These substances can be used individually or as mixtures.

The nitrogen source employed can be organic nitrogen-containing compounds, such as peptones, yeast extract, meat extract, malt extract, cornsteep liquor, soybean flour and urea, or inorganic compounds, such as ammonium sulfate, ammonium chloride, ammonium phosphate, ammonium carbonate and ammonium nitrate. The nitrogen sources can be used individually or as mixtures.

The phosphorus source employed can be phosphoric acid, potassium dihydrogen phosphate or dipotassium hydrogen phosphate or the corresponding sodium-containing salts.

The culture medium must furthermore contain salts, for example in the form of chlorides or sulfates of metals such as sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium and iron, for example magnesium sulfate or iron sulfate, which are necessary for growth. Finally, essential growth substances, such as amino acids, for example homoserine, and vitamins, for example thiamine, biotin or pantothenic acid, can be used in addition to the abovementioned substances. In addition to this, suitable precursors of the respective amino acid can be added to the culture medium.

The abovementioned added substances can be added to the culture in the form of a once-only mixture or fed in a suitable manner during the culture.

Basic compounds such as sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, ammonia or ammonia water, or acidic compounds such as phosphoric acid or sulfuric acid, are employed in a suitable manner for controlling the pH of the culture. In general, the pH is adjusted to a value of from 6.0 to 9.0, preferably of from 6.5 to 8. It is possible to use antifoamants, such as fatty acid polyglycol esters, for controlling foam formation. Suitable substances which act selectively, such as antibiotics, can be added to the medium in order to maintain the stability of plasmids. In order to maintain aerobic conditions, oxygen or oxygen-containing gas mixtures, such as air, are passed into the culture. It is also possible to use liquids which are enriched with hydrogen peroxide. Where appropriate, the fermentation is conducted under positive pressure, for example under a pressure of 0.03 to 0.2 MPa. The temperature of the culture is normally from 20° C. to 45° C., and preferably from 25° C. to 40° C. In the case of batch processes, the culture is continued until a maximum of the desired amino acid has been formed. This objective is normally achieved within from 10 hours to 160 hours. Longer culturing times are possible in the case of continuous processes.

Suitable fermentation media are described, inter alia, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,221,636, U.S. Pat. No. 5,840,551, U.S. Pat. No. 5,770,409, U.S. Pat. No. 5,605,818, U.S. Pat. No. 5,275,940 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,224,409.

Methods for determining L-amino acids are disclosed in the prior art. The analysis can, for example, take place by means of anion exchange chromatography, followed by ninhydrin derivatization, as described in Spackman et al. (Analytical Chemistry, 30 (1958), 1190), or it can take place by reversed phase HPLC, as described in Lindroth et al. (Analytical Chemistry (1979) 51: 1167-1174).

The invention accordingly relates to a process for preparing an L-amino acid, which comprises

-   -   a) fermenting an isolated coryneform bacterium in a suitable         medium, said bacterium comprising a gene encoding an OpcA         polypeptide having one or more of the amino acids selected from         the group consisting of         -   a) any proteinogenic amino acid other than L-tyrosine,             preferably L-histidine, in position 107 of said amino acid             sequence,         -   b) any proteinogenic amino acid other than L-lysine,             preferably L-asparagine, in position 219 of said amino acid             sequence,         -   c) any proteinogenic amino acid other than L-proline,             preferably L-serine, in position 233 of said amino acid             sequence, and         -   d) any proteinogenic amino acid other than L-tyrosine,             preferably L-histidine, in position 261 of said amino acid             sequence,     -   b) the L-amino acid being accumulated in the fermentation broth         or in the cells of the isolated coryneform bacterium.

The fermentation broth which has been prepared in this way is then subjected to further processing into a solid or liquid product.

A fermentation broth is understood as being a fermentation medium in which a microorganism is cultured for a certain time and at a certain temperature. The fermentation medium, and/or the medium employed during the fermentation, contains/contain all the substances or components which ensure propagation of the microorganism and formation of the desired amino acid.

At the conclusion of the fermentation, the resulting fermentation broth accordingly contains a) the biomass of the microorganism which has been formed as a consequence of the propagation of the cells of the microorganism, b) the desired amino acid which has been formed during the fermentation, c) the organic by-products which have been formed during the fermentation, and d) the constituents of the fermentation medium/fermentation media employed, or the added substances, for example vitamins, such as biotin, amino acids, such as homoserine, or salts, such as magnesium sulfate, which were not consumed by the fermentation.

The organic by-products include substances which are produced by the microorganisms employed in the fermentation, where appropriate in addition to the given desired L-amino acid, and are secreted, where appropriate. These by-products include L-amino acids which amount to less than 30%, 20% or 10% compared with the desired amino acid. They also include organic acids which carry from one to three carboxyl groups, such as acetic acid, lactic acid, citric acid, malic acid or fumaric acid. Finally, they also include sugars, such as trehalose.

Typical fermentation broths which are suitable for industrial purposes have an amino acid content of from 40 g/kg to 180 g/kg or of from 50 g/kg to 150 g/kg. In general, the content of biomass (as dry biomass) is from 20 to 50 g/kg.

In the case of the amino acid L-lysine, essentially four different product forms have been disclosed in the prior art.

One group of L-lysine-containing products comprises concentrated, aqueous, alkaline solutions of purified L-lysine (EP-B-0534865). Another group, as described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,340,486 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,465,025, comprises aqueous, acidic, biomass-containing concentrates of L-lysine-containing fermentation broths. The best-known group of solid products comprises pulverulent or crystalline forms of purified or pure L-lysine, which is typically present in the form of a salt such as L-lysine monohydrochloride. Another group of solid product forms is described, for example, in EP-B-0533039. The product form which is described in this document contains, in addition to L-lysine, the major portion of the added substances which were used during the fermentative preparation, and which were not consumed, and, where appropriate, from >0% to 100% of the biomass of the microorganism employed.

In correspondence with the different product forms, a very wide variety of methods are known for collecting, isolating or purifying the L-amino acid from the fermentation broth for the purpose of preparing the L-amino acid-containing product or the purified L-amino acid.

It is essentially ion exchange chromatography methods, where appropriate using active charcoal, and crystallization methods which are used for preparing solid, pure L-amino acids. In the case of lysine, this results in the corresponding base or a corresponding salt such as the monohydrochloride (Lys-HCl) or the lysine sulfate (Lys₂-H₂SO₄).

As far as lysine is concerned, EP-B-0534865 describes a method for preparing aqueous, basic L-lysine-containing solutions from fermentation broths. In the method described therein, the biomass is separated off from the fermentation broth and discarded. A base such as sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide or ammonium hydroxide is used to adjust the pH to between 9 and 11. Following concentration and cooling, the mineral constituents (inorganic salts) are separated off from the broth by crystallization and either used as fertilizer or discarded.

In the case of processes for preparing lysine using the bacteria according to the invention, preference is given to those processes which result in products which contain constituents of the fermentation broth. These products are, in particular, used as animal feed additives.

Depending on the requirement, the biomass can be entirely or partially removed from the fermentation broth by means of separation methods such as centrifugation, filtration or decanting, or a combination of these methods, or all the biomass can be left in the fermentation broth. Where appropriate, the biomass, or the biomass-containing fermentation broth, is inactivated during a suitable process step, for example by means of thermal treatment (heating) or by means of adding acid.

In one approach, the biomass is completely or virtually completely removed, such that no (0%) or at most 30%, at most 20%, at most 10%, at most 5%, at most 1% or at most 0.1%, of the biomass remains in the prepared product. In another approach, the biomass is not removed, or only removed in trivial amounts, such that all (100%) or more than 70%, 80%, 90%, 95%, 99% or 99.9% of the biomass remains in the prepared product. In one process according to the invention, the biomass is accordingly removed in proportions of from ≧0% to ≦100%.

Finally, the fermentation broth which is obtained after the fermentation can be adjusted, before or after the biomass has been completely or partially removed, to an acid pH using an inorganic acid, such as hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid or phosphoric acid, or an organic acid, such as propionic acid (GB 1,439,728 or EP 1 331 220). It is likewise possible to acidify the fermentation broth when it contains the entire biomass (U.S. Pat. No. 6,340,486 or U.S. Pat. No. 6,465,025). Finally, the broth can also be stabilized by adding sodium bisulfite (NaHSO₃, GB 1,439,728) or another salt, for example an ammonium, alkali metal or alkaline earth metal salt of sulfurous acid.

Organic or inorganic solids which may be present in the fermentation broth are partially or entirely removed when the biomass is separated off. At least some (>0%), preferably at least 25%, particularly preferably at least 50%, and very particularly preferably at least 75%, of the organic by-products which are dissolved in the fermentation broth and the constituents of the fermentation medium (added substances), which are dissolved and not consumed remain in the product. Where appropriate, these by-products and constituents also remain completely (100%) or virtually completely, that is >95% or >98%, in the product. In this sense, the term “fermentation broth basis” means that a product comprises at least a part of the constituents of the fermentation broth.

Subsequently, water is extracted from the broth, or the broth is thickened or concentrated, using known methods, for example using a rotary evaporator, a thin-film evaporator or a falling-film evaporator, or by means of reverse osmosis or nanofiltration. This concentrated fermentation broth can then be worked up into flowable products, in particular into a finely divided powder or, preferably, a coarse-grained granulate, using methods of freeze drying, of spray drying or of spray granulation, or using other methods, for example in a circulating fluidized bed as described in PCT/EP2004/006655. Where appropriate, a desired product is isolated from the resulting granulate by means of screening or dust separation.

It is likewise possible to dry the fermentation broth directly, i.e. by spray drying or spray granulation without any prior concentration.

“Flowable” is understood as meaning powders which discharge unhindered from a series of glass discharge vessels having discharge apertures of different sizes, i.e. which discharge unhindered at least from the vessel having a 5 mm (millimeter) aperture (Klein: Seifen, Ole, Fette, Wachse [Soaps, Oils, Fats and Waxes] 94, 12 (1968)).

“Finely divided” means a powder the majority (>50%) of which has a particle size which is from 20 to 200 μm in diameter.

“Coarse-grained” means a product the majority (>50%) of which has a particle size of from 200 to 2000 μm in diameter.

The particle size can be determined using methods of laser diffraction spectrometry. The corresponding methods are described in the textbook “TeilchengroBenmessung in der Laborpraxis” [Particle Size Measurement in Laboratory Practice] by R. H. Müller and R. Schuhmann, Wissenschaftliche Verlagsgesellschaft Stuttgart (1996) or in the textbook “Introduction to Particle Technology” by M. Rhodes, Wiley & Sons (1998).

The flowable, finely divided powder can in turn be converted, by means of suitable compacting or granulating methods, into a coarse-grained, readily flowable, storable, and to a large extent dust-free, product.

The term “dust-free” means that the product only contains small proportions (<5%) of particle sizes of less than 100 μM in diameter.

Within the meaning of this invention, “storable” means a product which can be stored for at least one (1) year or longer, preferably at least 1.5 years or longer, particularly preferably two (2) years or longer, in a dry and cool environment without there being any significant loss (<5%) of the given amino acid.

The invention accordingly also relates to a process for preparing an L-amino acid-, preferably L-lysine- or L-tryptophan-, containing product, preferably an animal feed additive, from fermentation broths, which process is characterized by the steps of

-   a) culturing and fermenting an L-amino acid-secreting coryneform     bacterium which harbors at least one opcA allele encoding an OpcA     polypeptide having one or more of the amino acids selected from the     group consisting of     -   a) any proteinogenic amino acid other than L-tyrosine,         preferably L-histidine, in position 107 of said amino acid         sequence,     -   b) any proteinogenic amino acid other than L-lysine, preferably         L-asparagine, in position 219 of said amino acid sequence,     -   c) any proteinogenic amino acid other than L-proline, preferably         L-serine, in position 233 of said amino acid sequence, and     -   d) any proteinogenic amino acid other than L-tyrosine,         preferably L-histidine, in position 261 of said amino acid         sequence,     -   in a fermentation medium, -   a) removing from 0 to 100% by weight of the biomass which is formed     during the fermentation, and     -   c) drying the fermentation broth which is obtained in accordance         with a) and/or b) in order to obtain the product in the desired         powder form or granulate form,         with, where appropriate, an acid selected from the group         consisting of sulfuric acid, phosphoric acid or hydrochloric         acid being added prior to step b) or c).

Preference is given to water being removed (concentration) from the L-amino acid-containing fermentation broth after step a) or b).

It is advantageous to use customary organic or inorganic auxiliary substances, or carrier substances such as starch, gelatin, cellulose derivatives or similar substances, as are customarily used as binders, gelatinizers or thickeners in foodstuff or feedstuff processing, or other substances, such as silicic acids, silicates (EP0743016A) or stearates, in connection with the granulation or compacting.

It is furthermore advantageous to provide the surface of the resulting granulates with oils, as described in WO 04/054381. The oils which can be used are mineral oils, vegetable oils or mixtures of vegetable oils. Examples of these oils are soybean oil, olive oil and soybean oil/lecithin mixtures. In the same way, silicone oils, polyethylene glycols or hydroxyethyl cellulose are also suitable. Treating the surfaces with said oils increases the abrasion resistance of the product and reduces the dust content. The content of oil in the product is from 0.02 to 2.0% by weight, preferably from 0.02 to 1.0% by weight, and very particularly preferably from 0.2 to 1.0% by weight, based on the total quantity of the feedstuff additives.

Preference is given to products having a content of 97% by weight of a particle size of from 100 to 1800 μm, or a content of 95% by weight of a particle size of from 300 to 1800 μm, in diameter. The content of dust, i.e. particles having a particle size of <100 μm, is preferably from >0 to 1% by weight, particularly preferably at most 0.5% by weight.

Alternatively, however, the product can also be absorbed onto an organic or inorganic carrier substance which is known and customary in feedstuff processing, for example silicic acids, silicates, grists, brans, meals, starches, sugars etc., and/or be mixed and stabilized with customary thickeners or binders. Application examples and methods in this regard are described in the literature (Die Mühle+Mischfuttertechnik [The Grinding Mill+Mixed Feed Technology] 132 (1995) 49, page 817).

Finally, the product can also be brought, by means of coating methods using film formers such as metal carbonates, silicic acids, silicates, alginates, stearates, starches, rubbers and cellulose ethers, as described in DE-C-4100920, into a state in which it is stable towards digestion by animal stomachs, in particular the ruminant stomach.

In order to set a desired amino acid concentration in the product, the appropriate amino acid can, depending on the requirement, be added during the process in the form of a concentrate or, where appropriate, of a largely pure substance or its salt in liquid or solid form. The latter can be added individually, or as mixtures, to the resulting fermentation broth, or to the concentrated fermentation broth, or else be added during the drying process or granulation process.

In the case of lysine, the ratio of the ions is adjusted during the preparation of lysine-containing products such that the ion ratio in accordance with the following formula

2×[SO₄ ²⁻]+[Cl⁻]—[NH₄ ⁺]—[Na⁺]—[K⁺]−2×[Ca²⁺]/[L-Lys]

has a value of from 0.68 to 0.95, preferably of from 0.68 to 0.90, as described by Kushiki et al. in US 20030152633.

In the case of lysine, the solid fermentation broth-based product which has been prepared in this way has a lysine content (as lysine base) of from 10% by weight to 70% by weight or of from 20% by weight to 70% by weight, preferably of from 30% by weight to 70% by weight and very particularly preferably of from 40% by weight to 70% by weight, based on the dry mass of the product. It is also possible to achieve maximum contents of lysine base of 71% by weight, 72% by weight or 73% by weight.

In the case of an electrically neutral amino acid such as L-tryptophan, the solid fermentation broth-based product which has been prepared in this way has an amino acid content of at least 5% by weight, 10% by weight, 20% by weight or 30% by weight and maximally 50% by weight, 60% by weight, 70% by weight, 80% by weight, 90% by weight or up to 95% by weight.

The water content of the solid product is up to 5% by weight, preferably up to 4% by weight, and particularly preferably less than 3% by weight.

A mutant of Corynebacterium glutamicum which is designated DM1797 and which comprises the amino acid substitution lysC T311I in its aspartate kinase was deposited on Oct. 28, 2004 with the Deutsche Sammlung für Mikroorganismen und Zellkulturen [German Collection of Microorganisms and Cell Cultures] (DSMZ, Brunswick, Germany) as DSM 16833.

The Corynebacterium glutamicum mutant DM1825 of the invention, which comprises L-histidine in position 107, L-lysine in position 219, L-proline in position 233 and L-tyrosine in position 261 of the amino acid sequence of the OpcA polypeptide, was deposited on Apr. 5, 2005 with the Deutsche Sammlung für Mikroorganismen und Zellkulturen (DSMZ, Brunswick, Germany) as DSM 17223. 

1. An isolated mutant of a coryneform bacterium, which comprises a gene coding for an OpcA polypeptide of glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase, wherein the amino acid sequence of said polypeptide comprises individual or a combination of amino acids selected from the group consisting of a) any proteinogenic amino acid other than L-tyrosine in position 107 of said amino acid sequence, b) any proteinogenic amino acid other than L-lysine in position 219 of said amino acid sequence, c) any proteinogenic amino acid other than L-proline in position 233 of said amino acid sequence, and d) any proteinogenic amino acid other than L-tyrosine in position 261 of said amino acid sequence.
 2. The mutant of a coryneform bacterium of claim 1, wherein the coryneform bacterium is a bacterium selected from the group consisting of Corynebacterium efficiens, Corynebacterium glutamicum, Corynebacterium thermoaminogenes and Corynebacterium aminogenes.
 3. The mutant of a coryneform bacterium of claim 2, which is Corynebacterium glutamicum.
 4. The mutant of a coryneform bacterium of claim 1, which is an L-amino acid-secreting bacterium.
 5. The mutant of a coryneform bacterium of claim 4, which is an L-lysine or L-tryptophan-secreting bacterium.
 6. The mutant of a coryneform bacterium of claim 1, wherein the amino acids are selected, individually or in combination, from the group consisting of a) L-histidine in position 107, b) L-asparagine in position 219, c) L-serine in position 233, and d) L-histidine in position
 261. 7. The mutant of a coryneform bacterium of claim 1, wherein the amino acids in the polypeptide with the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2 are substituted.
 8. The mutant of a coryneform bacterium of claim 6, wherein the amino acids in the polypeptide with the amino acid sequence SEQ ID NO: 2 are substituted.
 9. The mutant of a coryneform bacterium of claim 1, wherein the gene comprises a nucleotide sequence which is identical to the nucleotide sequence of a polynucleotide obtainable by a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using DNA obtained from a coryneform bacterium and using a primer pair consisting of a first primer comprising at least 15 contiguous nucleotides selected from the nucleotide sequence between positions 1 and 334 of SEQ ID NO: 3 and of a second primer comprising at least 15 contiguous nucleotides selected from the complementary nucleotide sequence between positions 1600 and 1292 of SEQ ID NO:
 3. 10. The mutant of a coryneform bacterium of claim 1, wherein the encoded polypeptide comprises an amino acid sequence having a length corresponding to 319 L-amino acids.
 11. The mutant of a coryneform bacterium of claim 1, wherein the encoded polypeptide comprises, from positions 107 to 261 of the amino acid sequence, the amino acid sequence corresponding to positions 107 to 261 of SEQ ID NO:
 6. 12. The mutant of a coryneform bacterium of claim 1, wherein the encoded polypeptide comprises an amino acid sequence which is at least 90% identical to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:
 6. 13. The mutant of a coryneform bacterium of claim 1, wherein the gene comprises a nucleotide sequence which is at least 90% identical to the nucleotide sequences of SEQ ID NO: 5 or SEQ ID NO:
 7. 14. The mutant of a coryneform bacterium of claim 1, wherein the encoded protein comprises an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of a) an amino acid sequence according to SEQ ID NO: 6, b) an amino acid sequence according to SEQ ID NO: 6, including one or more conservative amino acid substitution(s), and c) an amino acid sequence according to SEQ ID NO: 6, including one or more amino acid insertions or deletions.
 15. The mutant of a coryneform bacterium of claim 13, wherein the gene comprises the nucleotide sequence which is 100% identical to that of SEQ ID NO: 5 or SEQ ID NO:
 7. 16. The mutant of a coryneform bacterium of claim 1, wherein said mutant is obtainable by the following steps: a) treating a coryneform bacterium capable of secreting amino acids with a mutagenic agent, b) isolating and propagating the mutant generated in a), c) providing nucleic acid from the mutant obtained in b), d) preparing a nucleic acid molecule, using the polymerase chain reaction, of the nucleic acid from c) and of a primer pair consisting of a first primer comprising at least 15 contiguous nucleotides selected from the nucleotide sequence between positions 1 and 334 of SEQ ID NO: 3 and a second primer comprising at least 15 contiguous nucleotides selected from the complementary nucleotide sequence between positions 1600 and 1292 of SEQ ID NO: 3, e) determining the nucleotide sequence of the nucleic acid molecule obtained in d) and determining the encoded amino acid sequence, f) comparing, where appropriate, the amino acid sequence determined in e) with SEQ ID NO: 6, and g) identifying a mutant comprising a polynucleotide which encodes a polypeptide comprising one or more amino acids selected from the group consisting of: any proteinogenic amino acid other than L-tyrosine in position 107 of the amino acid sequence, any proteinogenic amino acid other than L-lysine in position 219 of the amino acid sequence, any proteinogenic amino acid other than L-proline in position 233 of the amino acid sequence and any proteinogenic amino acid other than L-tyrosine in position 261 of the amino acid sequence.
 17. The mutant of a coryneform bacterium of claim 16, wherein step b) is followed by selecting a mutant capable of secreting in a medium or accumulating in the cell interior at least 0.5% more of the desired L-amino acid than the coryneform bacterium employed in step a) of claim
 16. 18. An isolated polynucleotide encoding an OpcA polypeptide of glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase, wherein the amino acid sequence of said polypeptide comprises individual or a combination of amino acids selected from the group consisting of a) any proteinogenic amino acid other than L-tyrosine in position 107 of said amino acid sequence, b) any proteinogenic amino acid other than L-lysine in position 219 of said amino acid sequence, b) any proteinogenic amino acid other than L-proline in position 233 of said amino acid sequence, and c) any proteinogenic amino acid other than L-tyrosine in position 261 of said amino acid sequence.
 19. The isolated polynucleotide of claim 18, wherein the amino acids of the encoded protein is selected, individually or in combination, from the group consisting of: a) L-histidine in position 107, b) L-asparagine in position 219, c) L-serine in position 233, and d) L-histidine in position
 261. 20. The isolated polynucleotide of claim 18, wherein the amino acids in the polypeptide with the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2 are substituted.
 21. The isolated polynucleotide of claim 18, wherein the encoded polypeptide comprises an amino acid sequence having a length of 319 amino acids.
 22. The isolated polynucleotide of claim 18, wherein the encoded polypeptide comprises, from positions 107 to 261 of the amino acid sequence, the amino acid sequence corresponding to positions 107 to 261 of SEQ ID NO:
 6. 23. The isolated polynucleotide of claim 18, which is identical to the nucleotide sequence of a polynucleotide obtainable by a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using DNA obtained from a coryneform bacterium and using a primer pair consisting of a first primer comprising at least 15 contiguous nucleotides selected from the nucleotide sequence between positions 1 and 334 of SEQ ID NO: 3 and of a second primer comprising at least 15 contiguous nucleotides selected from the complementary nucleotide sequence between positions 1600 and 1292 of SEQ ID NO:
 3. 24. The isolated polynucleotide of claim 18, which hybridizes with the nucleotide sequence complementary to SEQ ID NO: 5 under stringent conditions, said stringent conditions comprising a washing step using a buffer corresponding to 2×SSC at a temperature of from 52° C. to 68° C.
 25. The isolated polynucleotide of claim 18, wherein the encoded polypeptide comprises an amino acid sequence which is at least 90% identical to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:
 6. 26. The isolated polynucleotide of claim 18, which comprises a nucleotide sequence which is at least 90% identical to the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 5 or SEQ ID NO:
 7. 27. The isolated polynucleotide of claim 18, wherein the encoded protein comprises an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of a) an amino acid sequence according to SEQ ID NO: 6, b) an amino acid sequence according to SEQ ID NO: 6, including one or more conservative amino acid substitution(s), and c) an amino acid sequence according to SEQ ID NO: 6, including one or more amino acid insertions or deletions.
 28. The isolated polynucleotide of claim 20, wherein the encoded polypeptide comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:
 6. 29. The isolated polynucleotide of claim 26, wherein the nucleotide sequence comprises SEQ ID NO: 5 or SEQ ID NO:
 7. 30. An isolated polynucleotide comprising a nucleic acid molecule which encodes at least one reading frame having an amino acid sequence corresponding to positions 98 to 270 of SEQ ID NO: 2, said sequence comprising one or more of the amino acid substitutions selected from the group consisting of: a) L-tyrosine in position 107 is substituted with a different proteinogenic amino acid, b) L-lysine in position 219 is substituted with a different proteinogenic amino acid, c) L-proline in position 233 is substituted with a different proteinogenic amino acid, and d) L-tyrosine in position 261 is substituted with a different proteinogenic amino acid.
 31. The isolated polynucleotide of claim 30, wherein the sequence which has been substituted in one or more positions comprises: a) L-histidine in position 107, b) L-asparagine in position 219, c) L-serine in position 233, and/or d) L-histidine in position
 261. 32. The isolated polynucleotide of claim 30, which encodes at least one reading frame having an amino acid sequence corresponding to positions 98 to 270 of SEQ ID NO:
 6. 33. The isolated polynucleotide of claim 30, wherein the amino acid sequence comprises conservative amino acid substitutions in one or more positions, except in positions 107, 219, 233 and
 261. 34. The isolated polynucleotide of claim 30, which comprises one or more silent mutations.
 35. The isolated polynucleotide of claim 29, which comprises at least the nucleotide sequence corresponding to positions 292 to 810 of SEQ ID NO: 5 or SEQ ID NO:
 7. 36. A process for preparing a recombinant coryneform bacterium, which comprises a) transferring an isolated polynucleotide encoding an OpcA polypeptide of glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase, wherein the amino acid sequence of said polypeptide comprises individual or a combination of amino acids selected from the group consisting of a. any proteinogenic amino acid other than L-tyrosine in position 107 of said amino acid sequence, b. any proteinogenic amino acid other than L-lysine in position 219 of said amino acid sequence, c. any proteinogenic amino acid other than L-proline in position 233 of said amino acid sequence, and d. any proteinogenic amino acid other than L-tyrosine in position 261 of said amino acid sequence to a coryneform bacterium, b) replacing the opcA gene which is present in the chromosome of said coryneform bacterium and which encodes a polypeptide having an amino acid sequence with L-tyrosine in position 107, L-lysine in position 219, L-proline in position 233 and L-tyrosine in position 261 with the polynucleotide of a) which encodes a polypeptide having an amino acid sequence in which amino acids are substituted in one or more positions, selected from the group consisting of: i) in position 107, preferably with L-histidine, ii) in position 219, preferably with L-asparagine, iii) in position 233, preferably with L-serine, and iv) in position 261, preferably with L-histidine, and a) propagating the coryneform bacterium obtained by steps a) and b).
 37. The process of claim 36, which further comprises using an isolated polynucleotide encoding an OpcA polypeptide of glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase, wherein the amino acid sequence of said polypeptide comprises individual or a combination of amino acids selected from the group consisting of a) any proteinogenic amino acid other than L-tyrosine in position 107 of said amino acid sequence, b) any proteinogenic amino acid other than L-lysine in position 219 of said amino acid sequence, d) any proteinogenic amino acid other than L-proline in position 233 of said amino acid sequence, and e) any proteinogenic amino acid other than L-tyrosine in position 261 of said amino acid sequence.
 38. The process of claim 36, which further comprises using an isolated polynucleotide comprising a nucleic acid molecule which encodes at least one reading frame having an amino acid sequence corresponding to positions 98 to 270 of SEQ ID NO: 2, said sequence comprising one or more of the amino acid substitutions selected from the group consisting of: a) L-tyrosine in position 107 is substituted with a different proteinogenic amino acid, b) L-lysine in position 219 is substituted with a different proteinogenic amino acid, c) L-proline in position 233 is substituted with a different proteinogenic amino acid, and d) L-tyrosine in position 261 is substituted with a different proteinogenic amino acid; and wherein the sequence which has been substituted in one or more positions comprises i. L-histidine in position 107, ii. L-asparagine in position 219, iii. L-serine in position 233, and/or iv. L-histidine in position
 261. 39. A process for preparing a recombinant microorganism, which comprises a) transferring an isolated polynucleotide encoding an OpcA polypeptide of glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase, wherein the amino acid sequence of said polypeptide comprises individual or a combination of amino acids selected from the group consisting of a. any proteinogenic amino acid other than L-tyrosine in position 107 of said amino acid sequence, b. any proteinogenic amino acid other than L-lysine in position 219 of said amino acid sequence, c. any proteinogenic amino acid other than L-proline in position 233 of said amino acid sequence, and d. any proteinogenic amino acid other than L-tyrosine in position 261 of said amino acid sequence to a microorganism, b) replicating said isolated polynucleotide in said microorganism, and c) propagating the microorganism obtained by steps a) and b).
 40. A recombinant microorganism comprising the isolated polynucleotide of claim
 18. 41. The recombinant microorganism of claim 40, which is a coryneform bacterium or a bacterium of the genus Escherichia.
 42. The recombinant microorganism of claim 41, wherein the coryneform bacterium is the genus Corynebacterium.
 43. The recombinant microorganism of claim 41, wherein the bacterium of the genus Corynebacterium is the species Corynebacterium glutamicum.
 44. A vector comprising the isolated polynucleotide of claim
 18. 45. A recombinant microorganism comprising the vector of claim
 44. 46. The recombinant microorganism of claim 45, which is a coryneform bacterium or a bacterium of the genus Escherichia.
 47. The recombinant microorganism of claim 46, wherein the coryneform bacterium is the genus Corynebacterium.
 48. The recombinant microorganism of claim 47, wherein the bacterium of the genus Corynebacterium is the species Corynebacterium glutamicum.
 49. A process for overexpressing an OpcA polypeptide in a microorganism, which process comprises increasing the copy number of a polynucleotide according to claim 18 in said microorganism by at least one (1) copy.
 50. A process for overexpressing an OpcA polypeptide in a microorganism, which process comprises functionally linking a promoter or an expression cassette to a polynucleotide encoding an OpcA polypeptide having an amino acid sequence comprising one or more of the amino acids selected from the group consisting of a) any proteinogenic amino acid other than L-tyrosine, preferably L-histidine, in position 107 of said amino acid sequence, b) any proteinogenic amino acid other than L-lysine, preferably L-asparagine, in position 219 of said amino acid sequence, c) any proteinogenic amino acid other than L-proline, preferably L-serine, in position 233 of said amino acid sequence, and d) any proteinogenic amino acid other than L-tyrosine, preferably L-histidine, in position 261 of said amino acid sequence.
 51. A process for preparing an L-amino acid, which comprises a) fermenting an isolated coryneform bacterium in a suitable medium, said bacterium harboring at least one copy of a polynucleotide encoding an OpcA polypeptide, the amino acid sequence of said polypeptide possessing having one or more of the amino acids selected from the group consisting of i) any proteinogenic amino acid other than L-tyrosine, preferably L-histidine, in position 107 of said amino acid sequence, ii) any proteinogenic amino acid other than L-lysine, preferably L-asparagine, in position 219 of said amino acid sequence, iii) any proteinogenic amino acid other than L-proline, preferably L-serine, in position 233 of said amino acid sequence, and iv) any proteinogenic amino acid other than L-tyrosine, preferably L-histidine, in position 261 of said amino acid sequence, and b) concentrating the desired L-amino acid in the fermentation broth or in the cells of said bacterium.
 52. The process of claim 51, wherein the isolated coryneform bacterium is a mutant of a coryneform bacterium, which comprises a gene coding for an OpcA polypeptide of glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase, wherein the amino acid sequence of said polypeptide comprises individual or a combination of amino acids selected from the group consisting of a) any proteinogenic amino acid other than L-tyrosine in position 107 of said amino acid sequence, b) any proteinogenic amino acid other than L-lysine in position 219 of said amino acid sequence, c) any proteinogenic amino acid other than L-proline in position 233 of said amino acid sequence, and d) any proteinogenic amino acid other than L-tyrosine in position 261 of said amino acid sequence.
 53. The process of claim 51, wherein the isolated coryneform bacterium is a recombinant microorganism comprising an isolated polynucleotide encoding an OpcA polypeptide of glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase, wherein the amino acid sequence of said polypeptide comprises individual or a combination of amino acids selected from the group consisting of a) any proteinogenic amino acid other than L-tyrosine in position 107 of said amino acid sequence, b) any proteinogenic amino acid other than L-lysine in position 219 of said amino acid sequence, c) any proteinogenic amino acid other than L-proline in position 233 of said amino acid sequence, and d) any proteinogenic amino acid other than L-tyrosine in position 261 of said amino acid sequence.
 54. The process of claim 51, which further comprises isolating or collecting the desired L-amino acid.
 55. The process of claim 54, which further comprises purifying the desired L-amino acid.
 56. The process of claim 51, which further comprises isolating or collecting the desired L-amino acid together with components of the fermentation broth and/or the biomass (>0 to 100%).
 57. The process of claim 51, which comprises a) removing an amount of from 0 to 100% of the biomass produced from the fermentation broth obtained in step b) of claim 51, and b) preparing from the broth obtained in this way an essentially dry and shaped product by a method selected from the group consisting of granulation, compacting, spray drying and extrusion.
 58. The process of claim 57, which further comprises adding an acid selected from the group consisting of sulfuric acid, hydrochloric acid and phosphoric acid to the fermentation broth prior to or after step a).
 59. The process of claim 57, which further comprises removing water from the broth obtained prior to or after in step a).
 60. The process of claim 57, which further comprises spraying the shaped product obtained in or during step b) with an oil. 